The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has officially announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, pledging to serve only one four-year term if elected.
Obi made this declaration during a live interactive session on X Spaces on Sunday night, where he engaged directly with Nigerians at home and abroad. A statement confirming his remarks was later released on Monday by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Umar of the Peter Obi Media Reach.
While ruling out any joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Obi said he remains open to coalition talks — but only those aimed at solving Nigeria’s pressing issues.
“If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue and Zamfara, reviving our economy, making industries productive, and putting food on people’s tables… count me out,” he said. “Nigeria is at war. We must act.”
Obi vowed to restore national stability within two years of assuming office, urging citizens to join his mission to “rescue the nation.”
Obi also addressed the ongoing Labour Party leadership crisis, revealing that efforts are underway to gain INEC’s recognition of the Nenadi Usman-led faction, in line with a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Reaffirming his belief in zoning and power rotation, Obi cited his implementation of the principle during his tenure as Anambra State governor. He also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s extended foreign trips, noting that “since taking office in 2023, Tinubu has not spent a night in any Nigerian state outside Lagos,” while referencing the president’s current 10-day trip to St. Lucia.
“St. Lucia is barely the size of Ilorin. Yet our president is there while Nigerians are dying in places like Benue and Borno,” Obi said.
On the 2027 elections, Obi promised a non-violent, transparent approach, stressing that “votes must count and will count.” He listed security, education, and poverty reduction as his top three priorities for the first 100 days in office, and pledged to:
- Cut the cost of governance
- Fight corruption from day one
- Bar family members from public contracts
- End defection of elected officials between parties
- Strengthen democratic institutions
“Imagine people are dying across the country, and our leaders are celebrating bus stops or vacationing abroad,” he said. “Good governance starts with sacrifice and responsibility.”
He concluded by emphasizing his readiness to lead from the front: “My past speaks loudly. In Anambra, whenever there was a crisis, I showed up personally. If you want to lead Nigeria, be ready to put your life on the line for Nigerians.”
