Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has unveiled seven major emergencies he plans to tackle if elected President in 2027, declaring that Nigeria needs urgent intervention in security, education, hunger, corruption, healthcare and other critical sectors.
Obi made the pledge on Thursday at a political summit in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, where he also took a swipe at President Bola Tinubu over his reported reluctance to campaign across all 36 states ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former Anambra State governor questioned Tinubu’s capacity to govern, accusing him of spending more than 260 days outside Nigeria while claiming he could not spare 36 days to tour the states and seek the people’s mandate.
Tinubu had reportedly indicated that he might not visit all 36 states during the campaign, citing the demands of governance.
But Obi dismissed the explanation, insisting that the President should be able to account for his administration’s performance before Nigerians.
He challenged Tinubu to visit Abakaliki and explain what his government had achieved in the past three years and how the money borrowed under his administration had been spent.
According to Obi, the President lacked the energy and competence required to lead the country and should leave Aso Rock if he could not discharge the responsibilities of his office.
“President Tinubu has stayed over 260 days out of Nigeria, yet he cannot spend up to 36 days to go round Nigeria to tell the people what he has been doing for the past three years. We will not do that,” Obi said.
He added that Tinubu should pack his belongings, return home and rest.
Turning to his own presidential ambition, Obi outlined what he described as seven emergency priorities, promising to make them the centrepiece of his administration if elected.
THE SEVEN EMERGENCIES
First on his list is national unity, with a pledge to tackle ethnic and regional divisions and ensure fairness in government appointments through the federal character principle.
Second is insecurity, which he promised to confront decisively by strengthening and equipping security agencies to protect lives and property.
Obi vowed that kidnappers who abduct schoolchildren would not be allowed to operate without a fierce response from security forces.
Third is corruption. He promised an aggressive anti-corruption campaign, warning that anyone found guilty of stealing public funds would face prosecution and imprisonment, regardless of their position.
He specifically declared that even a sitting President would not be spared.
The fourth emergency is education, with Obi expressing concern over the country’s estimated 18 million out-of-school children and promising to reduce the figure.
Fifth is hunger, which he said would be tackled by reviving agriculture, supporting farmers to return to their farms and increasing food production for local consumption and export.
Healthcare comes sixth on his list. Obi promised functional healthcare facilities in every political ward across the country.
The seventh priority is power, which he also identified among the critical challenges requiring emergency attention.
Obi further warned against attempts to divide the South-East along ethnic lines, insisting that Nigerians should support his presidential ambition based on his competence rather than his Igbo identity.
He said he wanted the people of Ebonyi and other parts of the country to vote for him because he was qualified to lead Nigeria, describing himself as the leading candidate in the 2027 presidential race.
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