Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has unveiled a four-year governance plan focused on economic reforms, competent appointments, infrastructure rehabilitation, security and direct engagement with Nigerians if elected president in 2027.
Obi said he would personally take charge of the government and would not govern through proxies, insisting that the president must remain directly accountable to the people.
The former Anambra State governor disclosed the plan during an exclusive interview with Arise News on Thursday as part of the station’s presidential campaign series.
He said four years would be enough to begin transforming Nigeria if the government identified clear priorities, appointed competent officials and implemented the right policies.
“I will be in charge and I will not run government by proxy. I will be answerable to the people,” Obi said.
He also reiterated his pledge to serve only one four-year term if elected, saying he would not remain in office beyond his tenure.
“I will not spend one extra day. Four years is enough to engender change and I did it as Governor of Anambra State,” he said.
On infrastructure, Obi said his administration would concentrate first on rehabilitating existing roads, schools and other public facilities before embarking on new projects.
“We will not build new roads until we fix the existing ones,” he said.
Subsidy Savings
Obi said he would remove the corruption associated with the petrol subsidy regime but rejected the restoration of the old system.
He said the Federal Government had disclosed that about N15.8 trillion was generated from subsidy removal, adding that such resources should have been invested in productive sectors including agriculture, small businesses, manufacturing and job creation.
“The subsidy regime in Nigeria was enmeshed with corruption and criminality. I have said it clearly that I will remove subsidy and fight that corruption and criminality,” he said.
He said increased domestic refining and regular supply of crude oil to Nigerian refineries could help moderate fuel prices without returning to the old subsidy regime.
Obi also criticised government spending, arguing that resources being deployed to less critical projects could instead be invested in healthcare, including cancer treatment, education and other essential services.
Security
On insecurity, the NDC candidate promised to take personal charge of the country’s security architecture and appoint competent heads of security agencies with clear mandates.
“In the first week, it’s for me to appoint competent heads of security agencies with a decisive instruction: We must deal with this,” he said.
Obi said he would personally visit states affected by serious insecurity instead of managing security challenges exclusively from Abuja.
“I’m not going to sit in Abuja if there’s a problem in Zamfara. We’ll call the people in Zamfara and see what this problem is, and deal with it decisively,” he said.
He expressed support for deploying modern surveillance technology against criminals and rejected ransom payments as a strategy for dealing with kidnappers.
Northern Agriculture
Obi said agriculture would be central to his economic plan for Northern Nigeria, describing the region’s vast arable land as a major economic asset.
He promised to invest in agriculture, education and skills development while supporting young people, including almajiris, to become productive participants in the economy.
According to him, increased agricultural production would provide food, create employment, supply raw materials to industries and expand Nigeria’s export opportunities.
“The north has an asset... and that asset is agriculture. I will deal with that asset,” he said.
Criticism of Tinubu
Assessing President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Obi said the government had not performed well and accused it of being reckless in its spending and management of the country.
“I think you should ask the people. But if you ask me, they’ve not done well. They’ve been a bit reckless in what they’re doing,” he said.
Asked whether he believed President Tinubu was fully in charge, Obi responded: “At times, I believe he’s not in charge.”
He said that, if elected, he would personally explain government decisions and remain accountable for every public expenditure.
“Nobody will talk for Peter. Because I’m the one that’s elected. I’ll be answerable to the people. And for every penny, I’ll be answerable to the people,” he said.
Electoral Reforms
Obi also promised electoral reforms, including real-time transmission of results from polling units to a central situation room.
He clarified that he would not establish a parallel electoral commission but would strengthen the use of technology within the existing electoral system.
“I won’t set up a parallel INEC but will make sure that in every polling unit we have a system that transmits results in real time to our Situation Room,” he said.
2023 Election
The NDC candidate maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election but said he would accept defeat in 2027 if the election was free, fair and credible.
“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will. That’s it. Because it’s an election... I will respect the will of the people. That’s democracy,” he said.
However, he added: “As long as I live, I will maintain that I won the 2023 presidential election.”
Competence Over Ethnicity
Obi rejected calls for the presidency to be determined by ethnic or religious considerations, arguing that competence should be the primary qualification for leadership.
“Our elections should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence,” he said.
He also cited his educational and professional background as evidence of his preparedness for the presidency.
The NDC candidate said his broader objective was to reverse Nigeria’s current trajectory within four years and lay the foundation for sustainable economic development.
“In four years, people will see the difference,” Obi said.
He further promised a physically present presidency, saying he would regularly visit states and communities and interact directly with ordinary Nigerians rather than govern exclusively from Abuja.
