Peter Obi pledges emergency action on insecurity, corruption and power if elected in 2027

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has promised to declare emergency measures on insecurity, corruption, education and electricity if he wins the 2027 election.

Obi made the pledge during town hall meetings in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, and in Enugu State, part of a nationwide tour that also took him to Nasarawa State. The meetings drew large crowds of supporters, according to reports of the events.

The former Anambra State governor said the presidency demands energy and direct contact with citizens, not convenience. He said he would lead the security effort from the frontlines alongside security operatives.

"I will not be president, and somebody will kidnap our children; we will enter the bush together," he said in Enugu.

Power, borrowing and public money

Obi said his administration would aim to generate, transmit and distribute at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity to support industry. He also promised a working primary healthcare centre in every ward and an emergency in education.

On borrowing, he said taking loans is not wrong in itself. It becomes a problem, he argued, when government borrows to buy a yacht or a presidential plane rather than to invest in production. He said Nigerians would be told why any loan is taken and how the money is spent.

He also said anyone found guilty of corruption, including a president, would face prosecution and imprisonment in line with the law. "If you want to borrow money, you will know what the money is being borrowed for," he said.

Obi criticised the current administration's foreign travels, saying the President should spend time moving round Nigeria and explaining how public money has been used. He challenged other candidates to tour the country and account for their records.

He urged Nigerians not to vote for him because he is Igbo, but because they judge him the most qualified. "My dream is to see a Nigeria where the son of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody," he said in Abakaliki.

At the Enugu event, economist Pat Utomi said Nigeria would become one of the best places to live if the right leadership emerged, and urged people to vote and defend their votes. Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, described the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as the best for Nigeria and said South-East votes would count.

Enugu NDC governorship candidate Chinyeaka Ohaa said the 2027 race is about building a new Nigeria that works for everyone, not simply about an Igbo presidency.

In Abakaliki, Obi said a participant living with a disability raised concerns about the support available to vulnerable Nigerians. He said a nation's compassion is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens, and promised to work with state governments on inclusion and dignity.

What happens next

Obi's tour is a campaign in all but name, and his promises on power, healthcare and borrowing will be tested against what voters see in their own states.