Today, I was invited to the OECD Headquarters in Paris, France to discuss how we can implement PISA in Nigeria.
In 2027, Nigeria will experience its first-ever PISA assessment, and by 2029, we aim to participate in the global education rankings.
PISA measures how well students in a country can apply what they have learned in school to solve real-world problems. It goes beyond memorisation and examines whether education is actually preparing young people to think, reason and function effectively in society.
In the last ranking, some of the strongest performances came from education systems in East Asia, including China.
Through initiatives like this, Nigeria can gradually build and strengthen its global reputation. Over time, we can improve how the world sees our education system, our institutions and the quality of our human capital.
One thing I learned from my conversations today is that much of Africa is waiting for Nigeria to rise. Nigeria’s progress has the potential to accelerate development across the continent.
Our ambition must be bigger than improving our rankings. We must build an education system capable of producing young people who can compete anywhere in the world.
Within the next 10 years, Africa can become a major source of the global workforce and Nigeria must lead that transformation.
Nigeria has never been for the faint-hearted.
Some Nigerians are collectively too dishonest & hungry to be trusted. We are too conniving; we are not good people. We jeopardize ourselves & others; our greed, deceit, & ego are the culprits.
It will take an awful lot of brain power to explain the things some of us have done. The logic fails me; I still struggle to understand what drives some of us. My heart is heavy while I write.
As your fairy godmother, my job is to help you stay honest. I have never claimed to be a saint, but I am honest—at least I try. Being an Obidient is like holding a mirror to your face; Obidients possess the power of self-reflection.
Many have burned their social capital for money. At the mere whiff of it, many climb into bed with fleeting moments. I & Ndi Yarkafachan blocked ourselves since 2020, long before she joined the Obi & Datti Baba-Ahmed campaigns
I called out Akin Tollgate as well. I may not be front & center, & I may never jump in front of the cameras or take center stage (as my involvement ends here). But I will never change. There are things even I cannot compromise.
At the beginning, there was Nnamdi Chude (the very first Obidient). Then came Jack, who is with Atiku Abubakar now. I came along, & we became a triumvirate so close to your hearts.
Back when we started, Peter Obi had only 740K followers. I had running battles with those I like to call the Janjaweeds. Reno & I were at each other’s throats. My name was constantly mentioned at the Peace Accord Committee, & I was reported to the then-SA, Monguno.
But none of that could deter my determination to see the throne of good men restored. I soaked up most of the pressure on behalf of the Obidient Movement. 2023 was a battle, & I was deeply attached, I have scars to prove it.
At the end of it all, my Twitter account was burned & the shadow-ban stuck. Still, it is exciting campaigning for Peter Obi. 2023 was a gastric extravaganza, & I would do it again in a heartbeat. The truth is, "I am yet to see a group of people who sabotage themselves as much as Nigerians." Many have no sense of a 'collective struggle,' & it has everything to do with the country’s foundation. You operated in silos at the beginning, you operate in silos still.
People are slaves to money & other proclivities. Slaves to their religion & tribal considerations. Slaves fall in love with their chains. Set them free, & they will be too afraid to step outside.
No nation has ever moved forward without defining what is in its 'collective interest.' All the personal attacks Peter Obi has received are because he has refused to sell out. That man hasn’t changed, & he never will. Not all of us who call ourselves his followers are Obidient.
Many are in the Movement for the money.
Like with EndSARS, many cashed out using his name in 2023. I know a yellow guy who was Atikulated in 2022—& still is. He later joined the 'organic' movement just to cash out.
Theo NDC is also a snake; I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole. My DM is full of all manner of exhibits. The day I decide to publish some of it, X will shut down. Many who have genuinely followed Peter Obi since 2017 are still his foot soldiers & will stay in the dugout until the end.
“We are large; we contain multitudes!"
We are those that left their chains at the harbor. People come & go, but his soldiers are eternal. I have never wavered; I believe his heart is in the right place. Nigerians, Mr. Peter Obi is your only hope. He will never enter into an agreement that could jeopardize your future.
He wants to give all of us a fighting chance. If I can trust him, it means he is trustworthy, you too can trust him. A New Nigeria is POssible.
DISCLAIMER: Fake Letter Circulating in My Name
My attention has been drawn to a fake letter circulating on social media, purportedly written by me to His Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, concerning political and financial matters in Anambra State.
This document is entirely false, malicious, and a fabrication by mischievous elements aimed at misleading the public. Furthermore, the signature appended to the letter is completely forged.
I urge the public and media to disregard this spurious publication. My focus remains steadfastly on issues of national development, accountability, and building a better future for our people - never on cheap fabrications. -PO
No Objection to Legitimate Scrutiny of My Certificates
My attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media concerning a legal action by an individual or group seeking Certified True Copies (CTCs) of my Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, awarded to me in 1984 by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as well as other academic records and credentials relating to my admission into the University.
I wish to state clearly that I have absolutely no objection to the release of these records.
I respectfully request that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, within the limits permitted by law, make available, upon legitimate request, my academic certificates, records, and other official documents relating to my admission and studies at the University. I equally have no objection to other educational institutions, within and outside Nigeria, which I attended, making my academic records available in accordance with applicable laws and procedures.
I believe strongly in transparency and accountability, particularly for those who seek the privilege of public office. Public scrutiny must, however, be fair, lawful, and applied consistently to everyone who seeks to lead our nation.
As a presidential candidate seeking the trust of Nigerians to lead our country, I welcome legitimate public interest in my background, qualifications, and record. I am prepared to subject myself to the level of scrutiny that should reasonably be expected of anyone seeking the highest office in our country. Those who seek to lead must be willing to demonstrate, through both their words and actions, that they have nothing to conceal from the people they aspire to serve.
In that same spirit, I encourage every presidential candidate to make their educational qualifications and relevant records available for legitimate public scrutiny. Doing so should not be regarded as an inconvenience or an attack. Rather, it is an opportunity to strengthen public confidence, promote accountability, and rebuild the trust of Nigerians in those who seek to govern them.
Leadership must reflect the values we expect from the society we hope to build. If we desire a Nigeria founded on transparency, integrity, accountability, and respect for institutions, those values must begin with those who seek to lead it.
I therefore welcome the scrutiny of my academic background and remain committed to the principle that those who ask Nigerians for their trust must also be willing to earn that trust through openness and accountability.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Debunking the Phantom Debts and Ecological Loan Fallacy
My attention has been drawn to trending claims by the Anambra State Government that my administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions. This is completely false.
We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified.
The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project.
The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion.
It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over ₦75 billion in savings we left behind.
If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning. -PO
Nigerians would edge you on till you enter your waterloo and they'll dump you.
Okay, let's assume it this way.
Peter Obi was arriving Benue and the sponsored thugs wielding rifles and other weapons stopped him.
He wanted to charge through but his security details advised him otherwise.
He insisted and took his team which was very few in number, and charged through the armed thugs.
The thugs resisted and the scuffle started. Of course, they easily outnumbered Peter Obi and his small team.
In the brief altercation, Esther lost her right eye, MamaPee lost all her front teeth, Mr Paul's head got broken, Zekeri got stabbed and Peter Obi got beaten mercilessly.
After the destruction, the security team comes on media to tell Nigerians that they actually warned Peter Obi against going against the thugs but he insisted and risked the lives of his team members and at the moment, no one knows wether Zekeri would make it out alive from the ICU.
The FG would come out and condemn the attack and condemn Peter Obi for being reckless.
Akin Tollgate would assess the situation and claim that's the reason why he left Obidient movement because Peter Obi is not actually thoughtful.
Omojuwa would write another epistle asking for the prosecution of Peter Obi for disturbing public peace.
The Benue govt. makes a case that one of the thugs was actually killed by Peter Obi's team and they're holding Peter Obi responsible.
The Channels TV and Seun immediately platforms the thug leader to narrate his distorted version while intermittently playing clips of Peter Obi fighting through the thug.
This same people attacking for not fighting today, would begin to write pages how Nelson Mandela achieved a lot without fighting.
They'll ask why should they vote in a man who can't handle his emotions.
The next week, Benue govt. with the help of FG frames Obi and sue him for violence and manslaughter. DSS is petitioned to detain Obi in the interest of public peace.
The next day, Peter Obi is picked up and detained in the room next to that of El Rufai.
Some youths come online and make noise for a few days, while APC floods the TVs with 'professors' and 'intellectuals' to defend the arrest.
And the whole opposition politics is messed up, and the ADC sacrifices Peter Obi for political gains. All hope is lost.
And 10 years later, Peter Obi is remembered as the man who stopped Nigerians from removing Tinubu.
Politics is politics.
Emotions are emotions.
Power is power.
Emotion is not power.
Every sensible human being understands the importance of Peter Obi's refrain in the face of sponsored violence.
Nigerian Doctor Raises Alarm Over Counterfeit Toothpaste
“I Went To Over 6 Stores And They All Had The Fake Toothpaste. They Didn’t Even Know It Was The Fake They Were Selling”
FAKE TOOTHPASTE IS DANGEROUS. IT IS A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD.
Pls tell others
Beyond Football: The Match for a Better Nigeria
This weekend, Europe comes alive again with football. Millions of Nigerian youths will be glued to television screens, streaming matches, debating tactics, celebrating victories, and admiring the organisation, discipline, and excellence that make European football the envy of the world. But here is a question worth asking: Why can’t Nigerian football be just as good?
The answer is not a lack of talent. Nigeria has produced world-class footballers who have excelled in Europe because they found systems that reward merit, invest in infrastructure, ensure security, and are governed with competence and accountability. Great football does not exist in isolation. It grows where there is good governance.
The stadiums, academies, transport systems, healthcare, security, electricity, and institutions that support football are products of leaders who make the right choices and citizens who insist on accountability. Nigeria has the talent. What we have lacked is leadership that creates an enabling environment for that talent to flourish.
As I have decided, in the next 150 days, to engage Nigerian youths wherever they gather—in town halls, campuses, online spaces, and even football communities—my message is simple: The future you admire in Europe can be built in Nigeria. But it starts with your vote.
Imagine a Nigeria where our local league is competitive, our stadiums are full every weekend, our clubs attract sponsorship, our coaches receive proper training, and young footballers no longer see emigration as their only path to success.
Nigeria will not emerge through wishful thinking. It will emerge when young Nigerians decide that elections matter as much as football matches. Every goal scored in Europe is a reminder that excellence is possible. Every well-managed league is proof that systems work when honest leadership is in place.
The 2027 presidential election is therefore more than a political contest. It is an opportunity for Nigerian youths to choose the kind of country they want—a nation that exports talent because it is respected, not because its citizens are escaping failed governance.
Cheer for Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter, AC Milan, or any club you support. Enjoy every match. But when the final whistle blows, remember that the greatest match awaiting Nigerian youths is not in Europe. It is in Nigeria.
It is the match for good governance. It is the match for jobs, security, education, sports development, and national renewal. And unlike football, where only twenty-two players are on the pitch, every Nigerian youth has a place in this match.
Stand up. Mobilise. Vote. Defend your vote.
If Nigerian youths can passionately follow European football every weekend, they can also passionately build a Nigeria where our own football—and our nation—becomes a source of pride.
The journey towards better Nigerian football begins with the path to good governance. And the path to good governance begins with the decision of Nigerian youths to stand up and be counted in 2027.
Every weekend, starting today, I will come to you with a reminder of January 16, 2027, and our future. We can create world-class standards right here at home.
It’s in your hands, and that new Nigeria is POssible. -PO
MY ADDRESS TO MARK THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE 2027 PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAMPAIGNS
21 August 2026
Dear Compatriots,
Members of the Press,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Wednesday, 19 August 2026, marked the official start of the campaign period for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
There is no doubt that this is a defining moment for our democracy. This moment gives Nigerians the opportunity to assess the records, ideas, and plans of those seeking their mandate to lead their country at a time of grave uncertainty in our rapidly changing world.
I consider myself quite privileged to be one of those seeking your mandate to deal with these challenges facing our country.
I enter this contest with one firm conviction: Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work.
Nigeria faces several serious challenges. Some of them are indeed of existential proportions.
According to the IMF, 63%, or over 140 million Nigerians, live at or below the national poverty line, while humanitarian agencies estimate that 35 million people will need food assistance during the 2026 lean season. About 3.6 million Nigerians remain internally displaced, largely because of conflict and insecurity. Each year, millions of young people enter the labour market, yet too many struggle to find productive opportunities. Weak infrastructure, unreliable power, insecurity, and the excessive cost of doing business continue to burden households and constrain enterprise.
These are more than statistics. They reflect the daily realities of Nigerian families, farmers, workers, students, and businesses.
Yet I do not believe Nigeria lacks the ability to overcome these challenges. We have the people, resources, market, talent, and enterprise. What we must do now is turn these strengths into security, productivity, and shared prosperity.
LEADERSHIP MUST DELIVER RESULTS
My successful private-sector experience, studies in institutions of repute on policy and business matters, and my service as Governor of Anambra State have shaped my understanding of public leadership. Government must manage resources responsibly, set clear priorities, and measure the outcomes of its decisions. Public office is not a reward; it is a responsibility to the people.
In Anambra, I prioritised the foundations of long-term development: education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and institutional capacity. I do not present that record as perfect, but as an experience from which Nigerians can draw their own conclusions.
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso brings a different but complementary governing experience.
As Governor of Kano State, he focused strongly on education, technical training, scholarships, infrastructure, and human-capital development. His administration’s investments in education and skills showed an understanding that the people are a state’s most important long-term resource.
Our experiences are different, but our conclusion is the same: Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline.
BUILDING AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS
Nigeria needs more than reactive reforms. We must focus on the questions that matter:
Are Nigerians better off than they were four years ago? Can they afford food, education, and healthcare? Can businesses produce, expand, and create jobs? Can young people find productive work? Can farmers work safely and get their produce to market?
DEJI ADEYANJU: CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR MURDER IS NOT A BADGE OF HONOUR
We have been inundated with calls and enquiries about the renewed and ongoing campaign of calumny by Deji Adeyanju against Mr. Peter Obi and his millions of supporters and admirers.
While it is within the right of any citizen to criticise any political leader, or indeed any person of public interest, it has become increasingly concerning to observe the language, vitriol and general acerbity of Mr. Adeyanju’s infantile public outbursts.
Perhaps the most ridiculous of his recent claims is that he is “bigger” than Peter Obi.
As a matter of principle, we do not ordinarily respond to hirelings of the Tinubu administration who hide under the cloak of non-partisanship. We usually prefer that such individuals properly identify themselves so they can be treated accordingly.
But in Deji’s case, it is necessary to point out the absurdity of the comparison he has attempted to construct.
A fellow who obtained his first university degree in 2022, when he was already in his mid-40s, can hardly, by any reasonable measure, place himself in the same category as a man who had, by that age, already built and led businesses, served in the banking sector and governed an entire state.
The difference is not merely significant; it is the difference between comparing a shrimp with a whale.
More importantly, Mr. Adeyanju appears to have chosen an unusual premise for his self-assessment. His basis for comparison seems to include his much-publicised flirtation with being in and out of detention.
While that may count for something in his personal estimation, let us state this unequivocally: criminal prosecution for murder, subsequent remand and a discharge and acquittal are not badges of honour.
They are certainly not credentials for political stature, moral authority or leadership.
If anything, they should provide an opportunity for serious self-assessment and introspection.
It offers Mr. Adeyanju a second opportunity, if he likes, a second chance, to take a deep and honest look at himself, stay out of trouble, truly turn a new page and become a model citizen and an advocate for a crime-free society.
That same opportunity also exists for him to reconsider the kind of politics he is promoting.
Nigeria does not need more political theatrics, bitterness or endless personal attacks. It needs good governance, competent leadership, compassion, integrity and the capacity to deliver measurable improvements in the lives of its people.
These are precisely the qualities that Mr. Peter Obi represents to millions of Nigerians today.
Mr. Adeyanju is entitled to his opinions. He is entitled to criticise Peter Obi. He is even entitled to believe that he is “bigger” than Peter Obi.
But Nigerians are equally entitled to ask: bigger in what?
Leadership? Experience? Governance? Enterprise? Public service? Measurable impact?
On those questions, Nigerians can make their own judgement.
We will not be distracted by individuals whose principal contribution to public discourse appears to be an endless appetite for personal attacks. We will continue to defend the truth, challenge misinformation and remind Nigerians that political relevance is not manufactured by noise, detention records or social-media theatrics.
It is earned through competence, character, service and impact.
Idris Zekeri Jnr writes from Abraka, Delta State.
Even ECOWAS acknowledged that Nigeria’s 2023 election was marred by serious irregularities. In 2027, we’ll be watching every step. Impunity will not prevail.
"This is the hardest and most difficult time in Nigeria. Hardship is everywhere. When former President Goodluck Jonathan was in office, people were shouting. Now that this time has come, they are quiet. Even preachers are quiet. They spoke during Jonathan's time. Can you compare Jonathan's time with now?"
— Pastor David Ibiyeomie speaks on the current state of the nation.
@PeterObi It would be great if we can use our skill set to push most of the information he's putting out (especially the ones addressing issues and way forward in Nigeria) - videos, flyers, AI etc.....
We can do better - JEDAAR 💪🏽