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?
If everything goes well after this summer, I will satisfy all requirements needed to earn my Doctorate.
Not fake PhD o. Not Honoris Causa o. The confirm one.
Let me now see any bagga that will address me by my first name.
Even my girlfriend, it is "Dr Baby" to you.
I will have the rare privilege of being in the audience of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and then go ahead to start my question with:
“Hello, Ngozi.” 😭😭😭
And you people will say that she has worked as the head of an international organization, and is already used to it 😩😩
That's why I should call her Ngozi??????
Are we okay as a nation? 😭😭
E no heavy you for mouth
You people are so dishonest on this app..
A sign of enlightenement is to also be culturally and socially aware...stop all these woke nonsense.
Local champion.
Look at him here, crossing his legs like Peter Okoye when he met Dangote, humbly accepting to be called just “Tony” by a foreign interviewer who is young enough to be his daughter.
“I don’t subscribe to that Oyibo thing”
But you will go and receive Oyibo award in Belgium.
The only place they have power is when they are back home.
Local champions.
🚨 OFFICIAL: FIFA suspensions following post Argentina-Spain clash, including 10 games ban for Paredes, 7 for Nahuel Molina and 1 for Pablo Gavi.
🇦🇷 Paredes: 10-game ban + $90,000 fine
🇦🇷 Molina: 7-game ban + $90,000 fine
🇦🇷 Almada: 1-game ban + $30,000 fine
🇦🇷 Ayala: 3-game ban + $30,000 fine
🇪🇸 Gavi: 1-game ban + $30,000 fine
Suspensions are confirmed to be for the national team games. ⚠️
🚨🔵 EXCLUSIVE: João Pedro on taking the infamous Chelsea number 9 shirt for this season:
"I know everyone talks about the 'curse' of the number 9 here, but I don't care about that at all. I explicitly asked the board for this shirt." 9️⃣🇧🇷
"I am completely ready for the pressure. I want the responsibility to score the goals this amazing club needs. It is an absolute honour for me, and I will deliver." ✨🔥