Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has asked Nigerians to support his bid to lead the country, promising to tackle insecurity, unemployment, poor infrastructure and the high cost of doing business.
Obi made the appeal in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Friday while announcing the start of his campaign activities for the Jan. 16 presidential and National Assembly elections.
He said the country was facing challenges of serious, and in some cases existential, proportions, but insisted that Nigeria could be rebuilt.
“I consider myself quite privileged to be one of those seeking your mandate to deal with these challenges facing our country.
“Each year, millions of young people enter the labour market, yet too many struggle to find productive opportunities.
“Weak infrastructure, unreliable power, insecurity, and excessive cost of doing business continue to burden households and constrain enterprise.
“With your mandate, our economic agenda will put production, investment, enterprise, and human capital at the centre of how we lead,” he said.
Obi said his private-sector background, academic training and experience as Anambra governor had prepared him for the presidency.
He described his running mate, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, as bringing complementary experience from his time as Kano governor, particularly in education, technical training, scholarships, infrastructure and human-capital development.
“In Anambra, I prioritised the foundations of long-term development: education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and institutional capacity.
“Our experiences are different but our conclusion is the same: Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline,” he said.
Obi urged voters to scrutinise the records and programmes of all presidential candidates, while calling for peaceful campaigns.
“I urge Nigerians to examine each candidate’s record and proposals, ask tough questions, and demand evidence behind every promise.
“We should debate ideas without hatred, compete without violence, and disagree without weakening the bonds that unite us.
“When Nigerians make their choice, that choice must be respected,” he said.
The NDC candidate pledged to boost agriculture by improving security in farming communities, expanding irrigation, upgrading rural roads and storage facilities, and connecting farmers with finance and markets.
He also promised to promote manufacturing and agro-processing to increase exports and ensure Nigeria derives greater value from its resources.
“We will create a business environment where entrepreneurs can invest, hire, and grow without unnecessary regulatory or infrastructure barriers.
“We will manage public finances responsibly, every naira should have a clear purpose, and major public investments should have measurable outcomes.
“The goal is not growth for its own sake but an economy that produces more, employs more people, creates wealth, and improves living standards,” he said.
On security, Obi promised better intelligence sharing, stronger coordination among security agencies, improved policing and border management, as well as greater use of technology.
“The imperative of decentralising security management but with strong systems of coordination between the levels, is critical to our plans.
“Farmers cannot produce food if they cannot reach their farms safely, children lose the chance to learn when they cannot attend school safely and businesses cannot create jobs when they cannot move goods securely,” he said.
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