“Vows to Shift Nigeria “From Consumption to Production”
NDC Presidential candidate, 
Peter Obi on Thursday formally addressed Nigerians to mark the start of campaigning for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections, promising to focus on security, economic production, and accountable governance.
The Independent National Electoral Commission opened the campaign window on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.
In his address, Obi said the election comes “at a time of grave uncertainty” and presented it as a moment for Nigerians to assess the records and plans of aspirants.
“Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work,” Obi said. “I enter this contest with one firm conviction.”
Obi referenced recent data to outline the scale of the problems facing the country. He cited IMF figures putting 63 percent, or over 140 million Nigerians, at or below the national poverty line. Humanitarian agencies, he said, estimate 35 million people will need food assistance during the 2026 lean season. He also noted that about 3.6 million Nigerians remain internally displaced due to conflict and insecurity, and that millions of young people enter the labor market each year with limited opportunities.
“These are more than statistics. They reflect the daily realities of Nigerian families, farmers, workers, students, and businesses,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said his agenda would center on production, investment, enterprise, and human capital. Key proposals include securing farming communities, expanding irrigation, improving rural roads and storage, and linking farmers to finance and markets. He also pledged to strengthen manufacturing and agro-processing to increase exports of finished goods.
Obi said the government must manage resources responsibly and measure outcomes. “Every naira should have a clear purpose, and major public investments should have measurable outcomes,” he said.
He drew on his private-sector background and tenure as Anambra governor, where he said he prioritized education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and institutional capacity.
Obi highlighted his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, citing Kwankwaso’s record in Kano State 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,” Obi said.
On security, Obi called it “the foundation” for prosperity. He proposed better intelligence gathering and coordination among agencies, stronger policing and border management, use of technology, and support for lawful community-based security systems. He also stressed the need to decentralize security management with strong coordination between levels of government, and to address conditions that make young people vulnerable to criminal recruitment.
Obi rejected the notion that Nigeria’s large youth population is a burden, calling it “an enormous opportunity” if matched with education and skills. He pledged to improve basic education, strengthen universities, and expand technical and vocational training.
On health, he said Nigeria’s primary healthcare system “is very poor,” with high infant and maternal mortality, and promised to expand access to essential medicines and equip health workers.
He also outlined a regional approach, saying each zone has distinct assets to unlock: agriculture and manufacturing in the North-West, reconstruction in the North-East, food production in the North-Central, technology and finance in the South-West, entrepreneurship in the South-East, and maritime and fisheries in the South-South. The Federal Capital Territory, he added, must model efficient urban planning and services.
Obi urged voters to assess candidates based on “capacity, competence, compassion, character, and commitment,” and said the campaign should not be driven by ethnicity, religion, or propaganda.
He made a personal commitment to tour the country directly with his running mate. “Any presidential candidate who lacks the resolve to travel across the country, meet the people, and respond to their questions lacks the capacity to govern it,” he said. “No candidate should hide behind the high walls of power.”
He closed by saying his goal is to unite Nigeria, secure it, and move the economy “from consumption to production.”
“A New Nigeria is possible,” Obi said.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled for February 2027.
