Peter Obi unveils 2027 agenda, promises to unite Nigeria, tackle insecurity, poverty

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has unveiled his policy agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections, promising to prioritise national unity, security, economic productivity, education, healthcare and accountable leadership if elected president.

Obi presented his plans on Tuesday during a town hall meeting with supporters in Jos, Plateau State, where he outlined what he described as the major priorities of his proposed administration.

The former Anambra State governor identified national unity as his administration’s first priority, expressing concern over divisions along ethnic and religious lines.

“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,” he said.

On security, Obi described the protection of lives and property as the primary responsibility of government, promising decisive action against kidnapping, killings and other violent crimes.

He assured Nigerians that his administration would work to end the daily loss of lives and address the suffering of families affected by insecurity.

“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.

Obi also promised to facilitate the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral communities, particularly those forced out of their homes by violence.

He described the continued existence of IDP camps as evidence of government failure, insisting that affected Nigerians should be able to return home safely.

“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.

The NDC candidate further vowed to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and pursue kidnappers and other perpetrators of violent crimes.

“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 specifically described the security situation in communities affected by violence in Plateau State, including Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu, as unacceptable.

He said the experiences of displaced persons, victims of attacks and bereaved families were among the reasons behind his presidential ambition.

The former governor also promised to adopt a people-oriented approach to governance, insisting that leaders must listen to citizens and make their concerns central to policymaking.

“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.

On the economy, Obi pledged to move Nigeria away from a consumption-based model towards a production-driven economy, arguing that increased local production would create jobs, strengthen businesses and reduce poverty.

“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.

He linked the country’s insecurity to declining economic activities, noting that farmers in some areas could no longer access their farmlands safely, while businesses in Plateau State had suffered from the security challenges.

Obi also promised to improve access to credit for small and medium-sized businesses, saying his experience in the financial sector had given him an understanding of how banks operate.

He pledged to ensure that a portion of available credit in the banking sector reaches small businesses to enable them to expand operations, employ more people and contribute to economic growth.

On corruption, the NDC candidate promised to strengthen accountability in public administration, insisting that government resources must be deployed for the benefit of citizens.

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

Obi also identified education as a major priority, expressing concern over the country’s estimated 18 million out-of-school children.

He promised to construct additional classrooms, recruit more teachers and improve the functionality of public schools to ensure that more Nigerian children have access to education.

“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,” he stated.

On healthcare, the former governor pledged to strengthen primary healthcare centres and improve access to quality medical services across communities.

He expressed concern over maternal and infant mortality, arguing that many Nigerians continued to suffer or die because of inadequate healthcare facilities.

According to him, functional primary healthcare centres should form the foundation of an improved national healthcare system.

Obi further promised to make the welfare of vulnerable citizens a priority, identifying poor Nigerians, elderly people and persons living with disabilities as groups requiring greater government attention.

He said a responsible government must demonstrate compassion by ensuring that vulnerable citizens were not abandoned.

The NDC candidate also urged Nigerians to participate actively in the 2027 elections, insisting that voters must remain vigilant to ensure their votes are counted, recorded and transmitted.

“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.

He encouraged voters to remain at their polling units and monitor the process, stressing that the election should be about determining the country’s future.

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