Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi has called on Nigerians to make the 2027 general election a contest of competence, capacity, character, compassion and commitment rather than ethnicity or religion.
He also called for issue-based campaigns devoid of hatred and violence, saying the outcome of the election should be respected by all sides.
Speaking at a world press conference on Friday in Onitsha, Anambra State, to mark the commencement of the presidential and National Assembly campaigns, he said his central conviction was that ‘Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work.’
The former Anambra State governor, who is seeking the presidency alongside Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, said he and his running mate would personally take their campaign to Nigerians across the country.
He said genuine leadership required physical presence and empathy, arguing that a presidential candidate could not effectively lead communities without understanding their circumstances.
He said, ‘Today, I make this clear commitment: my running mate and I will take our message directly to Nigerians. We will listen to them, understand their concerns, and engage them openly. We will not delegate this duty to proxies.
‘Our campaign will focus on the urgent concerns of Nigerians and not on ethnicity or religion.
‘Nigerians must reject and disregard any campaign driven by propaganda, ethnicity, religion, elitism, or cronyism.’
Obi said the 2027 election presented Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the records, ideas and programmes of those seeking to lead the country amid what he described as grave economic and security challenges.
He described Kwankwaso as bringing ‘different but complementary governing experience’ from Kano State, where the former governor focused on education, technical training, scholarships and infrastructure.
‘Our experiences are different, but our conclusion is the same: Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline. Public office is not a reward; it is a responsibility to the people.
Obi listed the key proposals of his NDC- led federal government if elected to include: agriculture, which he said would be achieved by securing farming communities, expanding irrigation, improving rural roads and storage, and linking farmers to finance and markets.
‘Another key sector will be industry, which will be pursued through strengthening of manufacturing and agro-processing to export finished goods and capture more value.
‘Business climate would also be prioritised by removing unnecessary regulatory and infrastructure barriers for entrepreneurs.
‘Public finance would be strengthened by cutting wasteful spending, ensuring every naira has a clear purpose, and raising revenue without stifling businesses.
‘The goal is not growth for its own sake, but an economy that produces more, employs more people, creates wealth, and improves living standards.
‘Nigeria cannot import its way to prosperity. We will produce more of what we consume, process more of what we produce, and compete more effectively in global markets,’ he disclosed.