Obi unveils 2027 agenda, prioritises security, unity

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Mr Peter Obi, on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive governance agenda centred on national unity, security, economic productivity and accountable leadership, pledging to restore hope to Nigerians if elected president in 2027.

Obi articulated his vision in Jos, Plateau State, during a town hall meeting with supporters and other Nigerians, where he said his administration would be anchored on listening to citizens and responding to their needs.

He said national unity remained the foremost priority of his candidacy.

“Our number one commitment is to unite the Federal Republic of Nigeria because today we have no unity. We are divided along tribal and religious lines. That should not be. We are Nigerians,” Obi said.

He identified insecurity as the second pillar of his agenda, stressing that the primary duty of government was to guarantee the safety of lives and property.

“Number two is to secure Nigeria. It is our duty to ensure that Nigerians live in safety, in a country where people are no longer killed daily.

“I assure you that no mother will continue to cry over the loss of her children. No woman should experience the pain of losing her husband, and no father should suffer the agony of losing his wife,” he said.

On displaced persons, Obi said the continued existence of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps would constitute a failure of leadership, adding that his administration would prioritise the safe and dignified return of displaced Nigerians to their ancestral communities.

“If any Nigerian remains in an Internally Displaced Persons camp, we have failed. Once one Nigerian is in an IDP camp, the entire Nigeria is in an IDP camp. People must return to their homes,” he stated.

He further pledged to strengthen the nation’s security architecture and confront kidnapping and other violent crimes decisively.

“Nobody will kidnap two children and disappear into the bush. If you kidnap children and go into the bush, you will not be alone there. We will come after you,” he declared.

Obi explained that his decision to engage communities ahead of the commencement of campaigns was deliberate, noting that effective leadership must be demand-driven.

“When you want to serve, you must listen to the people. When we come for campaigns, we only talk and we don’t listen to the people. We have decided that leadership must be demand-driven,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor recalled his visits to Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and other conflict-affected communities in Plateau State, describing the security situation as unacceptable.

He said his presidential ambition was motivated by the plight of victims of insecurity, displaced persons and bereaved families.

“If I have one person in an IDP camp, it means we are all in an IDP camp. I am competing because I want to know how we talk to that mother whose child was killed, that husband who lost a wife and that woman who lost a husband. Who is going to listen to their cries?” he asked.

On the 2027 general election, Obi urged Nigerians to take active responsibility for safeguarding their votes.

“In the next election, every voter is an agent. Don’t vote and go home. Take that day as the one day you are giving to Nigeria as a patriotic Nigerian,” he said.

“Prepare yourself with your breakfast, lunch and dinner, and remain there. Your vote must be counted, recorded and transmitted. Nobody should give you any excuse. It is your vote, and we want this election to be about the future of Nigeria.”

Turning to the economy, Obi said his administration would transition Nigeria from a consumption-based economy to a production-driven one, arguing that increased local production would stimulate employment and improve living standards.

“Our determination is to unite Nigeria, secure Nigeria and pull people out of poverty. That is why we said we are going to move Nigeria from consumption to production,” he said.

By increasing production, we will increase employment. Today, farmers cannot go to their farms because of insecurity. Companies operating in Plateau State have collapsed because of insecurity. When we unite Nigeria and secure it, we will create opportunities.”

On access to finance for small businesses, Obi said his background in the financial sector had equipped him to implement reforms that would expand credit to entrepreneurs.

“I know what it means to access funding. I have been a director and chairman of a financial institution, and I understand how banks operate,” he said.

“We will ensure that a portion of credit available in the banking sector goes to small businesses to enable them to grow and create jobs.”

On corruption, Obi pledged that public resources would be deployed strictly for the public good, with accountability as a defining principle of his administration.

“I have managed public money, so when I say I am going to fight corruption, I know what I am talking about,” he said.

“I will fight corruption. Public money must be used for public good. Today, public money is wrongly being used, and that must change.”

He also promised substantial investment in education, expressing concern over Nigeria’s estimated 18 million out-of-school children.

“We want our children to go back to school. We want our schools to work. The more educated you are as a nation, the more developed you become,” Obi said.

“We will build new classrooms, employ teachers and ensure that our schools function properly. We cannot continue to allow millions of Nigerian children to remain outside the classroom.”

On healthcare, Obi said strengthening primary healthcare was critical to reducing maternal and infant mortality.

“Today, if you are sick in Nigeria, you go to church because there are no functional hospitals in many communities. The consequence is that people are dying. Pregnant mothers are dying, children are dying, and we have very high infant and maternal mortality rates,” he said.

“The foundation of access to healthcare is primary healthcare. We must strengthen our primary healthcare centres and ensure that every community has access to quality medical services.”

He further stressed the need for government to demonstrate compassion by prioritising vulnerable groups, including the poor, the elderly and persons living with disabilities.

For a government to exist, it must care for the vulnerable. It must care for the poor and those living with disabilities,” he said.

“If we don’t care for the poor, we are not caring for ourselves. That is why we are holding these town hall meetings. We want to listen to the people, take notes of their concerns and understand their expectations.”

Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the Plateau State Traditional Council in Jos, Obi said Nigeria could not make meaningful progress while citizens lived in fear. He said the country required competent, committed and compassionate leadership.

“We want a government that has the capacity to do the job. We want a government that has compassion, a government that hears the cries of mothers who have lost their children,” he said.

“We want a government that is committed to the future of Nigeria. Commitment is very important, and that is what we are going to offer Nigerians.”

In his response, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, urged politicians and Nigerians to ensure that political activities did not aggravate the country’s security challenges.

“We want to appeal to all politicians and all Nigerians that we should not allow politics to worsen our situation. We already have insecurity, and we must be determined to live with each other in peace and with respect for one another,” the monarch said.

He also prayed for divine guidance in the emergence of a leader who would govern effectively, restore the country’s greatness and promote peace throughout the electioneering period.

Culled From Punch