No tribe buys bread cheaper, insecurity affects all Nigerians – Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to reject ethnic and religious divisions ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that the country’s economic and security challenges affect citizens across all backgrounds.

Obi made the call on Sunday during the NDC Global Digital Townhall, where he spoke on national unity, insecurity, economic hardship and preparations for the 2027 election. The event was also promoted as a forum focused on protecting votes from the polling unit through the collation process.

The former Anambra State governor said Nigerians should focus on electing leadership capable of uniting the country and addressing insecurity, rather than allowing ethnic or religious considerations to determine their political choices.

“Today we are not united. We are divided among ethnic and religious lines. And to the best of my knowledge, no tribe buys bread cheaper,” Obi said.

“No tribe buys food cheaper. No religion buys bread cheaper. No religion buys food cheaper.

“The poverty that is in our country today spreads across the whole nation. No tribe is more secure than the other. Insecurity is all over the country.”

Obi said the shared challenges confronting Nigerians should serve as a basis for greater unity and a focus on leadership.

“So we need a president that will unite us. We need a president that will work tirelessly to secure this country,” he said.

Obi questions handling of kidnappings

The NDC candidate also expressed concern over the abduction of Nigerian graduates travelling to participate in the National Youth Service Corps programme.

He questioned why security agencies had been unable to quickly locate and rescue kidnapping victims despite advances in technology and intelligence gathering.

“Just look at the latest news a few days ago. We had 22 graduates of this country who are just going to serve the nation in our youth service who were kidnapped. And we are still campaigning for the next election. It shouldn’t be,” he said.

Obi questioned how criminal groups operating within Nigeria could continue to evade security agencies.

“Where were they kidnapped? Which bush did they take them to? Is it not in Nigeria?” he asked.

“Those who are funding and demanding for 1 billion, are they funding from outside Nigeria? No.”

He called for greater use of technology and intelligence to identify criminal groups and locate their hideouts.

“In today’s technological know-how, with available technology, with everything, we should be able to find where people who are doing bad things are,” Obi said.

The former governor also called for improved logistics, equipment and welfare for security personnel, including adequate support for the families of officers who die or become incapacitated in the line of duty.

“We must make sure we provide them with the logistics for them to work. We must make sure we are with them,” he said.

“We must make sure they are properly taken care of and that the families are taken care of if they are not available, if anything happens to them.”

‘I will lead from the front’

Obi said Nigeria needed a president who would remain available and personally lead efforts to tackle the country’s problems.

“We want a president that will lead from the front. We want a president that will be available,” he said.

He also pledged that, if elected, he would spend most of his time in Nigeria and only travel abroad when necessary for engagements that could directly benefit the country.

“For four years of being in office, everything I’m doing, holidays, everything must be in Nigeria,” Obi said.

“You travel out only for critical meetings that will attract to our country.”

Obi urges voters to remain at polling units

On the 2027 election, Obi urged his supporters to remain at their polling units after casting their ballots until the votes were counted.

“When you go to your polling unit, you vote. Stay there until the vote is counted,” he said.

His comments are consistent with the NDC’s broader emphasis on grassroots organisation and vote protection ahead of the election.

Yesufu outlines vote-protection structure

Also speaking during the meeting, activist and Obi supporter Aisha Yesufu disclosed that efforts were underway to strengthen the party’s polling-unit agent and vote-protection structure ahead of the 2027 election.

Yesufu said the initiative involved working with technology platforms, political groups, movements, candidates and aspirants to recruit and organise polling-unit agents.

She said platforms including Smart Ballot and Obedient Connect were being used to develop a database of supporters and potential agents, with the structure also expected to involve the NDC and various support movements.

According to her, the objective was not merely to recruit people to appear at polling units on election day, but to identify committed supporters who were active in their communities and willing to mobilise voters.

She said additional “polling unit protectors” would be deployed to support agents and help monitor polling units where designated agents might not be available.

Yesufu said technology and data would play a central role in the group’s 2027 electoral strategy, adding that the proposed database would enable Obi to communicate directly with supporters across states, local government areas, wards and polling units.

She stressed the need for different support groups and movements to combine their strengths rather than operate independently.

Yesufu added that Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, were closely involved in efforts to strengthen polling-unit operations and protect votes.

“They are following it closely, and they are invested in vote protection, that every vote that is given to them must be protected,” she said.

Yesufu had also previously said supporters would build a nationwide network capable of monitoring the electoral process from polling units through the various collation stages.

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