Obi throws veiled jab at Tinubu, launches campaign

• No hiding behind power, using proxies to campaign

From Fred Itua, Abuja

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, on Friday, used the formal launch of his 2027 campaign to take a swipe at rivals who avoid facing voters directly, days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu skipped the National Peace Accord signing in Abuja and sent the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, in his place.

Obi said no candidate should hide behind the high walls of power or send proxies and surrogates to the hustings and still expect Nigerians to entrust them with leadership.

He said every presidential candidate must have the courage to come before the people, answer their questions and defend their record and vision to public scrutiny.

He said true leadership requires presence and empathy. He said no one can lead from the front without standing with communities devastated by banditry, criminality, terrorism and flooding.

He said a leader cannot truly lead people they are unwilling to visit, listen to and understand.

Obi committed himself and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to taking their message directly to Nigerians.

He said they would not delegate that duty to proxies. He said any candidate who lacks the resolve to travel across the country and respond to people’s questions lacks the capacity to govern it.

Although Obi did not name any candidate, his remarks came just days after Tinubu’s absence from Tuesday’s peace accord ceremony at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, drew public criticism.

SDP candidate Adewole Adebayo had said Tinubu’s non-attendance showed he was not committed to peace.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress candidate, was also absent from that ceremony, with his party represented by its National Legal Adviser.

Obi’s address, marking the official commencement of campaigns for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, also touched on the economy, security and social conditions in the country.

He cited International Monetary Fund figures showing that 63 per cent of Nigerians, or over 140 million people, live at or below the national poverty line.

He said humanitarian agencies estimate that 35 million Nigerians will need food assistance during the 2026 lean season, and that about 3.6 million Nigerians remain internally displaced due to conflict and insecurity.

He described his running mate as bringing a complementary governing experience, citing Kwankwaso’s record on education and human capital development as Kano State governor.

He said his own experience as a former Anambra State governor, alongside his private sector background, has shaped his understanding of public leadership.

On the economy, Obi pledged to raise agricultural productivity, strengthen manufacturing and agro-processing, and manage public finances responsibly.

On security, he called for improved intelligence gathering, stronger policing and border management, and the decentralisation of security management with better coordination between government levels.

He outlined region-specific development plans for Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, and pledged to improve education, healthcare and youth empowerment nationwide.

Obi urged Nigerians to examine every candidate’s record and proposals, and called for a campaign devoid of hatred, violence, ethnicity and religion.

He said democracy does not end on election day, and that citizens must continue to demand transparency, accountability and results from those elected to govern.