Protecting Every Vote. Winning 2027. Together.
My fellow Nigerians at home and abroad,
Over the past months, wherever I go and in your many messages, two questions keep coming up: How will our votes be protected in 2027? And how will we win?
These are fair questions, and you deserve direct answers.
This Sunday, I will answer you directly, and more importantly, listen to you. I will join you for A New Nigeria Global Digital Townhall. We will speak plainly about protecting every vote and the path to victory.
But this is not only about speaking to you. It is about listening to you. I want to hear your concerns, your insights and your strategies. This movement has always been built by you, and your ideas will shape what we do next.
Sunday, October 4, 2026
7:00 PM WAT/GMT | 2 PM EST | 12 PM MST
Attendance is by registration: https://t.co/tBtGQWtcun
Let us continue this conversation together. A New Nigeria is POSSIBLE. -PO
ON THE ANAMBRA DEBT QUESTION
I have remained silent over the past few days because I have been grieving the loss of my very dear elder brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe. However, the time has come for me to address some of the matters that have occupied public discussion in recent days.
I respectfully urge everyone to concentrate on the existential challenges confronting Nigeria and the hardships endured by its citizens, rather than on the needless distractions that have become widespread in our politics.
I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria. I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended.
Accordingly, I appeal to governors to support whichever presidential candidate they choose while also permitting and assisting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign freely and without interruption in their states. Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them.
Regarding the multilateral funding inaccurately described as “debt owed by Peter Obi” in Anambra State, I wish to state unequivocally:
As Governor of Anambra State, I did not approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state. Indeed, at his farewell ceremony, the then Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, appointed me chairman and declared that, during his 10 years in office, I was the only state governor who had not approached him for a loan facility.
When I left office, the Anambra State Government owed no unpaid salaries, gratuities, or pensions. Neither did it owe any contractor or supplier who had completed work that the government had verified and certified.
Regarding development financing from the World Bank, these are concessionary development-support funds secured by the Federal Government for states selected by it to address specific needs. Repayment is spread over 25 to 30 years.
The Anambra State Government must therefore differentiate among three separate figures: the total amount approved for the multiyear development program; the amount Anambra State actually drew during my tenure; and the funding balance outstanding when I handed over on 17 March 2014.
The government has combined these distinct categories, added them together, and described the resulting US$123.77 million as “loans left by Peter Obi.” That is an incorrect application of public-sector accounting.
The eight facilities identified were primarily World Bank and IFAD development programs negotiated by the Federal Government, with participating states receiving access to the funds through subsidiary arrangements. They were not conventional commercial loans that I personally secured during my tenure.
This does not suggest that Anambra had no repayment responsibilities; rather, each facility must be examined in light of its approval, effectiveness, drawdown, and repayment record.
The clearest contradiction appears in the government’s own figures. It states that the original facilities amounted to approximately US$123.77 million and that US$92.35 million remained outstanding in June 2026. However, the DMO’s published records showed Anambra’s total external debt at approximately US$18 million when I began my tenure in March 2006, about US$30 million in March 2014, when I left office, and approximately US$45.15 million as of 31 December 2014, nine months after my departure.
The Anambra State Government must therefore clarify how a state whose recorded external debt was about US$30 million in March 2014 and US$45.15 million in December 2014 could supposedly have inherited US$123.77 million from Peter Obi, who left office in March of that same year.
FROM WHAT WE BUILT TO WHAT WE LOST: LESSONS FROM NIGERIA’S HISTORY
Today, I attended the Daily Times Newspaper’s 100th anniversary celebration in Abuja. The occasion brought back fond memories of my younger days, when I would visit the newspaper stand at 57 Old Market Road, Onitsha, opposite the General Post Office, simply to read the front pages of the newspapers.
I was particularly interested in stories about governance, our economy, and Nigeria’s development. Those early encounters with newspapers helped shape my interest in understanding our country and the choices that have shaped our journey as a nation.
At the exhibition, I took time to go through some of the old publications. What I saw was both fascinating and deeply sobering.
One of the most striking things I came across was an advertisement for the Nigerian Shipping Line. In 1959, it had 6 ships; by 1960, it had 8; and by 1961, it had grown to 10 ships.
Today, more than six decades later, the Nigerian Shipping Line has no ships.
I also read about Nigerian Airways, which began operations in 1958 and, by 1980, had grown into one of Africa’s leading airlines, with a fleet of over 30 aircraft and direct flights to London, New York, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, and other international destinations. At one point, it even operated a Boeing 747, one of the largest aircraft of its time.
Sadly, Nigerian Airways eventually ceased operations in 2003.
The comparison with Emirates is particularly instructive. Nigerian Airways had already developed a substantial fleet before Emirates commenced operations in 1985 with just two leased aircraft. Today, Emirates operates a fleet of more than 250 aircraft, while the Nigerian national airline of that era no longer exists.
These are not merely stories from old newspapers. They are reminders of what Nigeria once built, what our people were capable of achieving, and, most importantly, what we failed to sustain.
The tragedy is not that these institutions belonged to a different era. The tragedy is that a country blessed with enormous human and material resources allowed many of its once-promising institutions to decline and disappear through years of poor leadership, mismanagement, corruption, and weak accountability.
Even more painful is the fact that while many of our institutions have weakened or disappeared, corruption seems to have remained one of the few things that has continued to grow.
We must ask ourselves: Why did institutions that once worked begin to fail? Why have countries that started behind us overtaken us? Why have we repeatedly failed to preserve the institutions and investments created by previous generations? The answers must guide the choices we make today.
I commend Mr. Fidelis Anosike and his team for keeping the Daily Times legacy alive and, importantly, preserving an important part of Nigeria’s history for present and future generations.
A nation that forgets its history risks repeating its mistakes. We must remember where we came from, honestly examine what went wrong, learn from both our successes and failures, and build institutions that can outlive individual leaders and political administrations. Nigeria is not condemned to decline.
We can rebuild our institutions. We can restore confidence in government. We can create an economy that produces rather than merely consumes. We can build enterprises that compete globally. And we can create a country where the next generation inherits stronger institutions, greater opportunities, and a better quality of life than the generation before it.
The Nigeria we desire is possible. But it requires leadership anchored on competence, accountability, prudence, integrity, and service. We must stop celebrating what Nigeria used to be and start rebuilding what Nigeria can become.
The journey to rebuild Nigeria must begin now.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
65 FREE SURGERIES FOR 65 CHILDREN
Yesterday, I attended the final follow-up clinic and appreciation programme at Mother Mary Hospital, Isolo, Lagos, following the successful completion of 65 free surgeries for children to mark my 65th birthday.
I am deeply grateful to God Almighty for guiding the medical team throughout the process and for granting all 65 children safe and successful surgeries.
The surgeries, led by Dr Folaseye Adebayo and her dedicated team, included adenotonsillectomy. This procedure removes enlarged or chronically infected tonsils and adenoids, which can cause breathing difficulties, recurrent infections, and sleep-related problems in children.
What made the occasion particularly touching was listening to parents share their testimonies and hearing how these procedures have improved their children’s health and quality of life.
My profound appreciation goes to @DrFolaseye Adebayo and her entire team, the hospital management, the parents, and everyone who contributed to making this initiative possible.
For me, birthdays are not merely occasions for celebration. They are opportunities to give back, touch lives, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
I thank God for the privilege of being part of this initiative and, most importantly, for the gift of 65 healthy and hopeful children.
May God continue to bless all those who dedicate their lives to saving and improving the lives of others.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
MY VISIT TO THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS
Today, I visited the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja to condole with the leadership, led by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, over the painful loss of the NLC General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, Esq.
The news of Comrade Emmanuel’s passing came to me as a rude shock. He was a good friend, a gentleman, and a principled advocate for the rights, dignity, and welfare of Nigerian workers.
His commitment to the labour movement and his unwavering belief in the cause of workers made him a remarkable man. He lived a life of service, and his contributions to the labour movement will remain part of his enduring legacy.
I am consoled by the knowledge that Comrade Emmanuel lived an exemplary life and dedicated himself to a cause greater than himself. His legacy of service, courage, and commitment will continue to inspire the younger generation.
At this difficult moment, my thoughts and prayers are with his family, colleagues, friends, the entire NLC family, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
May God Almighty grant his family the strength and fortitude to bear this painful loss, and may He grant Comrade Emmanuel eternal rest. -PO
SENATOR KWANKWASO VISITS THE OBIDIENT HEADQUARTERS
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of hosting my dear elder brother and our vice presidential candidate, His Excellency, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, alongside the gubernatorial, senatorial, and other candidates of our great party, the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), from various states across the country, at the Obidient Headquarters in Abuja.
Our discussions focused primarily on strategies to expand and deepen the reach of our party and take our message of national redemption to rural communities and the hinterlands.
I reassured our candidates of my continued support in their respective states and constituencies. I also reaffirmed my commitment to working with them and undertaking the necessary groundwork to secure victory for our party.
My partnership with His Excellency Senator Rabiu Musa @KwankwasoRM is a partnership to rescue Nigeria from the calamitous and ineffective leadership that has brought our country to its present condition.
Our commitment is to commence lifting vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty, reduce the number of out-of-school children, support small and medium-sized businesses, secure our nation, unite our people, and move Nigeria from consumption to production.
A New Nigeria is POssible, and Nigeria will be OK. -PO
PRESIDENT TINUBU GOES ON HOLIDAY AGAIN
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again left Nigeria for another holiday, this time beginning a three-week vacation in Europe.
Nigeria is in deep crisis. Nigerians can barely afford food and transportation. Insecurity is ravaging communities, and thousands of children are unable to access education because of insecurity.
Just days ago, about 600 Nigerians, predominantly women, children, and the elderly, were reportedly abducted during Juma’at prayers in Niger State.
Yet, at this critical moment, the President has left the country for another holiday.
According to reports, government expenditure on presidential trips and related travel expenses between June 2023 and April 2026 amounted to about ₦37.64 billion, with the President spending approximately 261 days outside Nigeria.
Meanwhile, only ₦36 million was reportedly released to the Federal Ministry of Health in 2025, despite a capital allocation of ₦218 billion, in a country of over 230 million people.
This is the calamity befalling our country today.
A government that can spend tens of billions on presidential travel while critical sectors remain starved of funds, and Nigerians are asked to endure worsening hardship, must not be allowed to continue.
Leadership is about priorities.
When citizens cannot feed their families, move safely, access healthcare, send their children to school, or sleep peacefully in their homes, the President should be more concerned about fixing the country than repeatedly leaving it.
I look forward to a Nigeria where our President can vacation in Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Cross River State, Bauchi, Ebonyi, and many other destinations across our country.
The President of Nigeria should be the chief marketer of Nigeria as a tourism destination, as other comparable countries do.
Imagine the economic possibilities if our leaders, celebrities, business communities, and citizens travelled within Nigeria more frequently.
Tourism creates jobs. It supports hospitality, transportation, agriculture, entertainment, crafts, and small businesses. It brings investment and foreign exchange and allows communities to benefit directly from their natural and cultural assets.
We cannot continue to export our wealth and import our pleasures while our own enormous potential remains neglected.
We deserve leadership that puts Nigeria first; leadership that cares and plans for a better Nigeria. That is the kind of leadership that the partnership between H.E. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and me will bring.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Those Seeking to be Addressed as “His Excellency” Must Behave Excellently
Yesterday, I joined other presidential candidates to sign the first National Peace Accord for the 2027 Presidential Elections.
My signing of the accord is a reinforcement of my continued commitment to insisting that we, as candidates, must conduct ourselves in a way that reflects the office we aspire to. Leaders must eschew all forms of violent rhetoric and rein in their followers to do the same.
The next elections must be strictly based on the issues that matter to Nigerians: unity, insecurity, pulling people out of poverty, reducing the number of out-of-school children, and restoring hope to the long-suffering people of our country.
Our supporters must see that we have all committed to free, fair, and credible elections based on issues and devoid of rancour.
Those of us wishing to be addressed as “His Excellency” must behave excellently, and, more importantly, the process of attaining public office must be excellent.
We take very seriously the commitment of INEC to free, fair, and credible elections, as well as the pledge by law enforcement agencies to remain unbiased throughout the electioneering process.
I call on my supporters to remain firm, determined, and peaceful.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Let's end this cycle of killings.
The killings in Ungushi, Sokoto, where 32 Nigerians reportedly lost their lives, and the recent attacks in Ukum, Benue, where more lives have been lost and several others injured, are deeply painful.
These are not just numbers. They are parents, children, farmers, and breadwinners whose lives have been cut short, leaving families devastated and communities in fear.
We cannot continue with a cycle of killings, condolences, promises, and inaction. The government at all levels must prioritise addressing insecurity.
We need better intelligence, proactive security, swift responses, protection for vulnerable communities, and the diligent prosecution of perpetrators.
The government must endeavour to protect the lives and property of its citizens. Nigerians should be able to sleep peacefully in their homes, travel safely on our roads, and go to their farms without fear.
I extend my condolences to the families and communities affected by these senseless killings. May God comfort the bereaved, may Almighty Allah forgive the departed, and may our nation find lasting peace.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO
"In 2023, here in Delta State, Peter Obi, without the support of Ovie Omo-Agege, Victor Ochei, and so many of us seated here and without party agents as we were told in various polling units, and despite the massive rigging, still won Delta State."
"If Obi could win without us, how much more with us now in NDC?"
~ Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, NDC Delta Central Senatorial Candidate, said during the OK Movement Town Hall Meeting in Asaba.