Obi Ranks Himself Ahead of Tinubu, Atiku in 2027 Presidential Race

Peter Obi has declared that among the leading contenders for the 2027 presidential election, he possesses the experience and competence needed to turn Nigeria around.

The former governor of Anambra State therefore placed himself ahead of President Bola Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the declaration during a town hall meeting in Owerri, Imo State, as part of his ongoing engagement with Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Tinubu is seeking re-election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while Atiku is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a statement shared on Sunday, Obi said his visit to Imo State included interactions with traders, buyers and other residents at a market in Owerri, where he listened to their experiences and concerns about the country’s economic situation.

He described the accounts he received as a reminder of the hardship ordinary Nigerians were facing under the current administration.

According to him, the economic policies of the Tinubu government have worsened living conditions, leaving millions of Nigerians struggling with poverty and hunger.

Obi also criticised Tinubu for spending considerable time outside the country while, according to him, failing to visit Imo State since assuming office.

“In my remarks at the town hall meeting, I reminded the good people of Imo State that, after more than three years in office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not considered it necessary to spend even one night in Imo State, despite spending over 260 days abroad,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor further accused the administration of accumulating huge debts without delivering corresponding improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

He claimed that Nigeria remained among the hungriest countries in the world, with more than 140 million people living in multidimensional poverty.

Obi also raised concerns about insecurity and education, claiming that Nigeria remained one of the most terrorised countries globally, while approximately 18 million children were out of school.

Despite the challenges, he urged Nigerians not to lose hope, saying his proposed administration would prioritise national security, unity, healthcare, education and poverty reduction.

He said he and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso were committed to building a country where citizens could live in safety and enjoy better opportunities.

Obi also made a case for his leadership credentials, insisting that the leading contenders in the 2027 presidential race should be judged by their ability and readiness to address the country’s problems.

“Among the leading contenders, we believe we possess the experience, competence, capacity, commitment and readiness required to undertake the difficult but necessary task of turning Nigeria around,” he said.

During the interactive session, Obi was also asked about how his party would protect votes during the 2027 elections.

He urged supporters and other Nigerians to participate actively in the electoral process, while warning them not to leave polling units before the final results were declared.

“I encouraged our people to come out in their numbers, exercise their democratic rights and, more importantly, remain vigilant and stay with their votes until the final results are declared,” he said.

The NDC presidential candidate thanked his supporters, party members, candidates, organisers and residents of Imo State for what he described as their warm reception and overwhelming support.

He maintained that building a new Nigeria would require collective effort, adding that the country’s challenges could be overcome through responsible leadership and citizens’ participation.

The latest declaration comes days after the NDC defended Obi’s promise to serve only one term of four years if elected president in 2027, following criticism from former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Okorocha had questioned the wisdom of Obi’s single-term pledge, describing it as a political gamble and arguing that the South-East should not risk settling for only four years in the presidency.

The former governor, who has expressed support for Tinubu, said the region should pursue strategic political alliances rather than make decisions based on emotions or sentiments.

However, the NDC’s National Campaign Council Director-General, Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim, rejected the criticism, describing Obi’s proposal as a commitment to national stability rather than a gamble.

Abdulkarim argued that the 1999 Constitution provides for a four-year presidential tenure and does not make a second term compulsory.

He cited Section 135(2) of the Constitution, which provides for a four-year term and allows a president to seek re-election.

“On the claim that a single term is ‘a four-year gambling,’ we respectfully disagree,” Abdulkarim said.

He also questioned the argument that a longer presidential tenure would automatically produce better governance, pointing to Nigeria’s experience between 2015 and 2023.

According to him, rising inflation, the depreciation of the naira, increasing public debt, poverty and insecurity showed that a longer period in office did not necessarily guarantee good performance.

“Peter Obi’s offer is a performance bond, not a gamble. He has pledged to serve one term, to be judged strictly by results, and to hand over power in 2031 in recognition that it is the turn of the North,” he said.

The NDC campaign chief described the pledge as a sacrifice for national stability, insisting that leadership should be measured by achievements rather than the number of years spent in office.

“Leadership is measured by impact, not duration. Nigeria’s problem has never been insufficient time. It has been the repeated failure to use time well,” he added.

Abdulkarim maintained that Obi’s proposed four-year administration would focus on delivering results rather than seeking an extension of power.

“When a man entitled to eight years voluntarily chooses four and invites the nation to judge him by results, he is not gambling. He is sacrificing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Okorocha has also claimed that 90 per cent of Nigerian politicians would not remain in office if democracy were practised as it should be.

Speaking during an interview with Arise News, the former governor accused political power brokers of imposing candidates on voters, arguing that many elected officials did not emerge through the genuine choices of the electorate.

“If democracy is practised the way it should be practised, 90 per cent of people holding office in Nigeria cannot hold office,” he said.

Okorocha made the remarks while reacting to a Federal High Court judgment recognising him as the winner of the APC senatorial primary for Imo West ahead of the 2027 elections.

The court directed INEC to recognise him as the winner of the primary, although Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has indicated plans to appeal the judgment.