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?
Usually I don’t dream, but I’ve had this dream for the third time and this was what I saw each time;
PETER GREGORY OBI IS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 🇳🇬.
Dear Isaac Fayose and Dr Zo.
PLEASE, next time you hang out with your friends of darkness, let us see videos of them praising your candidate as well.
In this fight for a new Nigeria, ACCOUNTABILITY will NOT be thrown to the wind.
Perception matters a lot in this world of Influence.🙏🏾❤️
A Unified Message to All As you are all now aware, His Excellency Peter Obi is going to be our new presidential candidate and the face of this movement. We call on everyone to vigorously market and promote our candidate with honour and facts. We will not attack or abuse any other candidate, and we expect the same courtesy in return. If you abuse Peter Obi or attempt to tarnish his character, be ready we will respond accordingly. We prefer peace, but if it is a fight you bring, we are more than ready to meet it. To my dear Northern brothers and sisters: Do not come to my page with religious or tribal attacks. They will not work here i won't tolerate it. We who support this movement believe Nigeria belongs to everyone Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Christian, Muslim, and all others. Our strength lies in our unity, not in division. The unity of our nation is what we dream of and will continue to fight for. My reasons for supporting Peter Obi are clear: his outstanding track record as Governor of Anambra State and the positive plans he has for my region the Northern Nigeria. No one can stop or intimidate us. As true Kwankwasiyya, we do not fear challenges we welcome them as opportunities to prove our determination and strength.Peter Obi and Kwankwaso represent our new project for a New Nigeria. We will take this message to the markets, homes, chambers, streets, and every corner of this country. We will campaign with passion and sell this vision to our people. To all supporters of this movement: This is our moment to show Nigerians that love, respect, and unity can be stronger than religion or tribe. Let us promote this movement across every platform and every community. Let us grow together as one.
One Nigeria Must Be OK.
@PeterObi If NDC mess up & you wan make we enter NYSC, puuuuuut me.
If NYSC mess up & you wan make we go NSPPD, puuuuuut me.
If NSPPD no work and na RIP remain - onyem, puuuuuut me.
"The condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria, informed my decision to leave ADC for NDC."
Yesterday, I formally joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside my dear brother, Engr. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, with one clear purpose: to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for the ordinary Nigerian.
As I stated yesterday, this decision was not made out of anger, personal ambition, or convenience. It came after deep reflection on the present condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from the dangerous path it is currently heading.
Over the years, I have remained steadfast in my conviction that politics should never be about individuals, positions, or personal gain. It must be about the people, especially the millions of Nigerians who today can no longer afford necessities, whose businesses are collapsing, whose children are losing hope, and whose future is becoming increasingly uncertain.
I left the ADC for the same reason I left the Labour Party: the severe, orchestrated litigation and internal crises deliberately designed to ensure that I, alongside many other notable individuals, do not effectively participate in the electoral process. I sincerely appreciate and remain deeply grateful to the Leadership of ADC for the opportunity to work together in pursuit of a better Nigeria. I am particularly grateful to ADC Chairman Senator David Mark for his exceptional Leadership. I also deeply appreciate my Leader and elder brother YE, Atiku Abubakar, as well as other respected leaders within the party.
As we join the NDC, I sincerely appeal to the Nigerian Government against the encouragement of unresolved litigations and the infusion of crises within political parties. Democracy must never become a weapon against the people. A healthy democracy thrives on strong institutions, credible alternatives, and the freedom of citizens to make choices without intimidation, manipulation, or fear. Opposition parties must not be weakened or destroyed, because when democracy loses balance, the people ultimately suffer.
Nigeria today is passing through one of the most difficult periods in its history. Poverty is rising. Hunger is widespread. Insecurity continues to threaten lives and livelihoods. Businesses are shutting down daily. Our young people are becoming discouraged, and many citizens have lost faith in the system. At a time like this, leadership must be driven not by propaganda or division, but by competence, capacity, character, and compassion.
Our decision to join the NDC is therefore not an abandonment of values, but a continuation of the same mission we have always stood for: building a Nigeria where leadership is about service, where public resources are managed responsibly, where institutions function independently, and where every Nigerian, regardless of tribe, religion, region, or social status, can live with dignity, security, and hope.
I remain committed to working with all Nigerians of goodwill across political, ethnic, and religious lines. The task before us is bigger than any individual or political party. It is about the future of our children and the survival of our dear nation.
I thank Nigerians, especially our youths and women, for remaining peaceful, resilient, and hopeful despite the enormous challenges confronting the country. I urge you not to lose faith in Nigeria. Nations do not change because people surrender to hopelessness; they change because people continue to believe, continue to sacrifice, and continue to stand for what is right.
A new Nigeria is still POssible. -PO
Sir, the same incident had happened earlier in Kogi State involving Chisco bus on Monday, 13 April 2026. All the passengers in the bus going to Abuja were kidnapped in Kabba, KogiState. Until this night of Day 9, none of the victims has been released nor recused.
My youngest sister is one of the victims. She has been in the harsh and harrowing custody of kidnappers for 9 Days now.
Please, sir, help us to prevail on Nigeria Police @PoliceNG@PoliceNG_CRU@TunjiDisu1@aleeygiwa@CspIniedu and other security agencies @OfficialDSSNG@NuhuRibadu@BTOofficial@nigimmigration@HQNigerianArmy@NigAirForce to rescue them alive.
The kidnappers are threatening to k!ll her.
https://t.co/LlNqwhWp5z
Peter Obi:
"As Chairman of Fidelity Bank, I was living in FESTAC. The bank even told me that my lifestyle is affecting their corporate image but the bank survived".
Because he's not a thief & holds no value to sycophants. He's public enemy no 1.