Obi kicks off 2027 campaign, urges candidates to defend records

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Party, has officially commenced his campaign for the 2027 election, challenging other contenders to present themselves to the electorate and justify their qualifications for leading Nigeria. Speaking at a press conference in Onitsha, Obi insisted that no candidate should evade public scrutiny by relying on proxies or remaining hidden behind the "high walls of power."

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No candidate should hide behind the high walls of power, send proxies or surrogates to the hustings, and expect Nigerians to entrust them with the leadership of the country.

Obi emphasized that Nigerians deserve direct engagement with those seeking their mandate. "Every candidate seeking the presidency must have the courage to come before the people, answer their questions, defend their records, and subject their vision to public scrutiny," he stated. He further argued that genuine leadership requires presence and empathy, asserting that a presidential candidate cannot effectively lead communities without understanding their struggles firsthand, especially those affected by banditry, terrorism, and flooding.

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Every candidate seeking the presidency must have the courage to come before the people, answer their questions, defend their records, and subject their vision to public scrutiny.

Obi, who is running with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate, pledged that they would personally campaign across the country. They are committed to listening to citizens, understanding their concerns, and engaging openly, rather than delegating these crucial duties. The 2027 election, Obi noted, offers Nigerians an opportunity to evaluate the records, ideas, and programs of candidates amidst significant economic and security challenges.

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True leadership requires presence and empathy. No one can lead from the front without standing with communities across Nigeria devastated by banditry, criminality, terrorism, and flooding.

His central conviction is that "Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work." Obi identified critical issues such as poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, unreliable electricity, and the high cost of doing business as major obstacles. However, he expressed confidence that these challenges are surmountable, given Nigeria's abundant human capital, resources, market, talent, and enterprise. Obi's vision includes transforming Nigeria from a consumption-based economy to one centered on production, investment, enterprise, and human capital development.

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Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work