Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has officially declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Obi made the announcement during a live interactive session on X Spaces on Sunday night, where he addressed questions from Nigerians both at home and abroad.
The former Anambra State governor stated that if elected, he would only seek a single four-year term, pledging to bring stability to Nigeria within the first two years of his administration.
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A statement released on Monday by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar of the Peter Obi Media Reach, reaffirmed Obi’s declaration and dismissed rumours of a possible joint presidential ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
However, Obi said he remained open to coalition talks, provided they were focused on addressing the nation’s core challenges.
“If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians… count me out. Nigeria is currently at war. We need to do something about it,” he stated.
Obi promised to adopt a non-violent approach during the 2027 election campaign, stating that transparency and electoral integrity would be prioritised. He assured supporters that their votes would be protected and would count.
“We will do things differently in 2027. We will follow a non-violent approach and insist that the right thing will be done before the result announcement in Abuja. Our votes in 2027 will count, and we will ensure they count,” he said.
Highlighting his policy direction, Obi outlined three key areas that would dominate his first 100 days in office: security, education, and poverty reduction. He added that public funds would be redirected to critical sectors and that his administration would not tolerate corruption.
“My family will not be involved in corruption. Funds will be channelled into key critical sectors,” he said.
Speaking on the leadership crisis within the Labour Party, Obi revealed that efforts were underway to secure recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the Nenadi Usman-led faction, in line with a recent Supreme Court ruling.
On national unity, Obi reiterated his belief in power rotation between the North and South, stating that he upheld the principle during his tenure as Anambra State governor.
He also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s reported visit to St. Lucia, questioning the President’s frequent foreign travels amid widespread insecurity at home.
“St Lucia is about the size of the 10th largest city in Nigeria, Ilorin. President Tinubu has never slept a night in any state of Nigeria outside Lagos since the assumption of office in 2023. PBAT to stay in St Lucia for 10 days,” he remarked.
Obi condemned what he described as misplaced priorities by current political leaders, citing the continued violence in parts of the country while projects such as bus stops were being commissioned.
“Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue, Borno, and other parts of the country, and our leaders are commissioning bus stops and holidaying,” he said.
He further pledged to strengthen party discipline and put an end to political defection by elected officials.
“There will be no defection of elected officials to other parties when I am in charge,” he said.
Obi concluded by calling for responsible leadership and citizen support to rescue the country.
“To bring order in governance, I will prioritise security, education and pulling people out of poverty. To do this, we must cut the cost of governance and fight corruption from day one. My past speaks loudly for me. Anybody who wants to serve should be ready to put their life on the line for the lives of Nigerians. Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government,” he added.
