Peter Obi Pledges Measurable Governance, Security and Economic Productivity

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to make governance measurable and accountable while prioritising the welfare and productivity of Nigerians if elected in 2027.

Obi made the pledge in his Independence Day address on Thursday, outlining security, education, healthcare and productive enterprise as key areas of focus for a potential administration.

He said Nigerians would begin to see what he described as the tangible impact of effective leadership within the first year of his administration.

“As President of Nigeria, I will make governance measurable, accountable and centred on the welfare and productivity of our people.”

The former Anambra State governor said insecurity would be addressed to enable farmers to return to their farms, children to attend school, businesses to operate and displaced Nigerians to return safely to their communities.

Obi also said his administration would seek to move Nigeria away from what he described as a consumption-driven economy towards greater production, with emphasis on job creation, agriculture, manufacturing and human capital development.

He cited poverty, insecurity, hunger, unemployment, poor healthcare, out-of-school children and low life expectancy among the challenges he said Nigeria must urgently address.

The NDC candidate referred to a recent visit to an internally displaced persons camp at Ramin Kura in Sokoto State, saying the conditions there illustrated the hardship faced by Nigerians displaced by insecurity. He argued that displaced citizens should instead be able to live in their communities, farm, attend school and contribute to the economy.

Obi also pledged that, if elected, he would spend his holidays within Nigeria rather than abroad, saying he intended to visit different states, interact with citizens and better understand their challenges.

He called on Nigerians to demand accountability from public officials, arguing that the country’s development would require responsible leadership as well as citizens who insist on transparency and results.