Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has called on political leaders and Nigerians to unite in tackling poverty, hunger and insecurity ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi spoke on Monday at the commissioning of the 2027 presidential campaign office of Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, in Abuja.
The former Anambra State governor said Makinde was qualified to contest the presidency, stressing that whoever emerges through a free, fair and credible election should receive the support of Nigerians to build the country.
“What we are doing today is to show you that, for us, we don’t have desperation. We want the people of Nigeria to make their choice. Whoever they choose, all of us will come together to build a new Nigeria,” Obi said.
He added, “We can’t all continue the way we are going today. Our people are hungry. Our people are poor. Our people are insecure. Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair and credible election, we all want to work together to save this country from collapse.”
Obi said political competition should focus on improving the living conditions of Nigerians rather than quarrels and disagreements.
“We declare here the social guarantee to assure you that we are changing the politics. We don’t want politics of quarrel, politics of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty,” he said.
He said the goal should be to create a Nigeria where “a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,” adding that political leaders should work together as a family in the interest of the country.
Obi and Makinde are among the politicians seeking the presidency in 2027, alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is contesting under the African Democratic Congress.