By Our Reporter
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to tackle insecurity, promote national unity and lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty if elected president in 2027.
Obi made the pledge on Tuesday during a town hall meeting with supporters in Jos, Plateau State, where he outlined his vision for the country, identifying national unity, security, economic recovery and accountable leadership as key priorities of his proposed administration.
He described Nigeria as deeply divided along ethnic and religious lines, insisting that rebuilding national unity would be his administration’s first commitment.
“Our number one commitment is to unite the Federal Republic of Nigeria because today we have no unity. We are divided along tribal and religious lines. That should not be. We are Nigerians,” he said.
On security, the former Anambra State governor said his administration would work to ensure that Nigerians could live without the fear of being killed, kidnapped or displaced from their communities.
“It is our duty to ensure that Nigerians live in safety, in a country where people are no longer killed daily,” he said.
Obi expressed concern over the suffering of families affected by insecurity, promising to end the situation in which parents lose their children and spouses are killed in violent attacks.
He also pledged to ensure that internally displaced persons (IDPs) return to their ancestral homes, declaring that the continued existence of displacement camps would represent a failure of governance.
“If any Nigerian remains in an Internally Displaced Persons camp, we have failed. Once one Nigerian is in an IDP camp, the entire Nigeria is in an IDP camp. People must return to their homes,” he said.
He further warned that his administration would pursue kidnappers and other criminal elements, insisting that no one should be able to abduct children and disappear into the bush without being tracked down.
Explaining why he had begun engaging communities ahead of the formal commencement of campaigns, Obi said leadership must be driven by the needs and demands of the people.
He argued that politicians often spend campaign periods making promises without listening to citizens, adding that his approach was designed to reverse that practice.
“When you want to serve, you must listen to the people. When we come for campaigns, we only talk and we don’t listen to the people. We have decided that leadership must be demand-driven,” he said.
On the 2027 general election, Obi urged voters to remain at polling units after casting their ballots to ensure that their votes were properly counted, recorded and transmitted.
He described election day as an opportunity for citizens to demonstrate patriotism and take responsibility for protecting the electoral process.
“Every voter is an agent. Don’t vote and go home. Take that day as the one day you are giving to Nigeria as a patriotic Nigerian,” he said.
“Your vote must be counted, recorded and transmitted. Nobody should give you any excuse. It is your vote, and we want this election to be about the future of Nigeria.”
In his remarks, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, appealed to politicians and Nigerians to ensure that political activities did not worsen the country’s security challenges.
He urged political actors to promote peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, warning against actions capable of deepening existing divisions.
“We already have insecurity, and we must be determined to live with each other in peace and with respect for one another,” the traditional ruler said.
He also prayed for divine guidance in the emergence of a leader capable of governing the country effectively and restoring its greatness, urging politicians to maintain peace throughout the electioneering period.