Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, engaged residents of Kaduna State at a town hall meeting yesterday, addressing challenges confronting citizens.
Obi disclosed this in a post on his X handle, saying the meeting followed his visit to the Sheikh Muhammad Sambo Memorial Islamic Institute in Rigachikun, Kaduna.
He said he later joined Kwankwaso and other NDC candidates at the town hall, organised by the party as part of a series of engagements with citizens, following an earlier one held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to Obi, the meeting allowed the party’s leadership to listen directly to citizens, respond to their concerns and receive their contributions on critical national issues.
He said he and Kwankwaso reassured participants of their commitment to uniting the country, reducing poverty, investing in healthcare and education, and tackling insecurity to enable Nigerians to return safely to their homes, communities and farms.
The former Anambra State governor also said the meeting addressed corruption and inefficiencies in the fuel subsidy regime, and the need to ease the burden of fuel costs on Nigerians, adding that the party’s objective was to build an economy that enables citizens to live decent and dignified lives in their own country.
Obi called on other political parties and their candidates to engage directly with Nigerians and listen to their concerns.
‘Let me use this opportunity once again to call on our opponents to also speak directly with the people and listen to their feedback. The very essence of democracy is people-centred governance,’ he said.
He urged political leaders and aspiring leaders to leave their comfort zones and interact directly with the citizens they seek to serve.
Obi thanked the party leadership and organisers of the Kaduna town hall, and commended residents of the state for their commitment to supporting leadership that listens to their concerns.