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…says 20 percent credit will be given to small businesses
…elections will be won at polling booths, not courts – Campaign council
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged an uncompromising war against corruption, promising emergency measures to tackle insecurity, hunger, unemployment and the country’s electricity crisis if elected president in 2027.
Obi, who is seeking the presidency with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate, said Nigerians would no longer have to contend with a government that blames previous administrations for its failures, insisting that the purpose of governance is to solve problems and improve living conditions.
Speaking at a dinner in Abuja on Monday to mark the inauguration of the party’s National Presidential Campaign Council, unveiling of its national secretariat and presentation of certificates of return to candidates, Obi promised measurable improvements in governance from the first day of an NDC administration.
“The purpose of governance is to solve problems, not to blame people. Kwankwaso and I will not blame anybody. We will create that new Nigeria that is possible,” he declared.
The former Anambra State governor said the country’s economic and security challenges required a fundamental change in leadership and the management of public resources, arguing that increased government revenue and borrowing had not translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.
He challenged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to account for its spending, alleging that capital expenditure under the 2023, 2024 and 2025 budgets remained below 20 per cent and that contractors were experiencing payment difficulties.
“We must stop people from stealing public money. We must use public money for the public good. And that will be seen, it will be shown,” Obi said.
He insisted that public officeholders must be held accountable for the management of public funds, adding that anyone found culpable of corruption must answer in accordance with the law.
“We don’t want you to hire us to tell you about our problem. It’s only in Nigeria that you hire people, and they start reminding you of what happened in the past. No, we don’t want you to hire us to tell you about our problem. We want you to hire us to improve from today,” he said.
Obi also promised to declare an emergency in the security sector, arguing that the president must demonstrate direct leadership in responding to attacks, kidnappings and other threats to lives and property.
“If they say there is a problem in Jos, he will go to Jos,” he said, adding that he would visit communities affected by insecurity, including those in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Sokoto and Borno states.
Furthermore, he promised an agricultural emergency, particularly in northern Nigeria, where insecurity has disrupted farming and restricted the use of productive land.
“We have vast land in the north. When we secure the north, our farmers must go back and produce what we eat and what we use for our industries,” he said.
The NDC candidate linked improved security and agricultural production to food availability, lower prices, job creation and industrial development, insisting that Nigeria must move away from an economy driven by consumption and borrowing to one anchored on production.
On education, Obi expressed concern over the number of out-of-school children, saying the country could not achieve sustainable development without investing in human capital.
“We must create a society where a child of nobody will be somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.
In healthcare, he renewed his pledge to establish a functional primary healthcare centre in every ward within two years of assuming office, while promising emergency interventions in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
“We will declare emergency on generation, transmission, and distribution,” he said, describing reliable electricity as essential to industrial growth, job creation and lower operating costs for businesses.
Obi also promised to improve access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), saying the businesses, despite numbering more than 40 million, received less than five per cent of bank lending.
He said an NDC government would ensure that more than 20 per cent of credit went to small businesses, alongside tax holidays and other incentives to stimulate production and employment.
“We will put a mark to it. We will ensure that over 20% of credits will go to small businesses. We will support them,” he said.
The former governor criticised what he described as excessive foreign trips by Tinubu, arguing that the president should devote more attention to domestic challenges and spend time with communities grappling with insecurity.
He also urged political actors to refrain from intimidating NDC supporters and other participants in lawful political activities, insisting that the 2027 elections should be contested on the basis of ideas rather than violence.
“Humility and civility are not weaknesses. It is a virtue. Good behaviour is not a weakness. It is a virtue,” Obi said.
“The revolution that is coming is a revolution of the ballot,” he declared, urging Nigerians to defend electoral integrity and demand free, fair and credible elections.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the NDC Campaign Advisory Council, BD Lawal, warned against electoral violence and attempts to manipulate the 2027 election, declaring that the party would not tolerate attacks on its supporters.
Lawal, who spoke at the inauguration of the party’s election committees, urged members to monitor the voting and collation processes to ensure that results were properly counted, recorded and announced.
“This election will be won and lost at the polling booths, not the courts,” he said.
Earlier, NDC national chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, charged candidates to regard their nominations as a responsibility to the electorate, warning that the party would not tolerate unfulfilled promises.
“If we fail to bring water for you in two years, if we open our mouths to say, vote for us again, please don’t vote for us,” he said.
The party also unveiled its national secretariat at 393 Etang Obuli Crescent, Jabi, Abuja, which is expected to serve as its administrative headquarters and campaign coordination centre ahead of the 2027 general elections.
