Peter Obi has called on presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election to engage Nigerians directly and explain their records, policies and plans for the country.

NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Peter Obi has challenged all presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election to present their credentials, defend their records and subject their plans for the country to public scrutiny.

Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the call at a press conference to kick-start the party’s campaign, saying candidates seeking to lead Nigeria must have the courage to engage directly with citizens and answer questions about their records and vision.

“Every candidate that seeks the presidency must have the courage to come before the people, answer their questions, defend their records and subject their vision to public scrutiny. True leadership requires presence and empathy. No one can lead from the front without standing with the communities across Nigeria,” he said at the event in Anambra on Friday.

The former Anambra State governor said genuine leadership required candidates to be physically present among Nigerians, particularly communities affected by insecurity and natural disasters.

“True leadership requires presence and empathy. No one can lead from the front without standing with the communities across Nigeria devastated by banditry, criminality, terrorism or flooding. You cannot truly lead a people you are unwilling to visit, listen to and understand,” Obi said.

He said he and his vice presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso would take their campaign directly to Nigerians, listen to their concerns and engage them without relying on proxies.

Obi added that the campaign would focus on the issues affecting Nigerians rather than ethnic or religious sentiments.

“The 2027 election must be guided by competence, capacity, compassion, character and commitment. Our campaign will focus on urgent concerns of Nigerians and not on ethnicity or religion,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to reject campaigns driven by propaganda, ethnicity and religion, saying the country needed leaders capable of tackling insecurity, poverty, hunger and the growing number of out-of-school children while improving education, healthcare and economic opportunities.

Citizens Must Demand Accountability

Nigerians at a market

According to him, Nigerians should also assess whether their lives have improved under the current administration and demand accountability from those entrusted with political power.

“Democracy does not end on election day. Citizens must continue to demand transparency, accountability and resolve from those entrusted with the mandate to govern.

“I commit to commencing the journey of resetting Nigeria by uniting it, securing it, on the path of economic and inclusive growth and moving our country from consumption to production,” he said.

Obi’s comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the credentials of presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election, following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s publication of nomination forms and supporting documents submitted by candidates.

2027 Election 

The 2027 presidential campaign officially began on Wednesday in line with INEC’s timetable, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.

The election is expected to feature a major contest between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition forces, amid ongoing efforts to build alliances and realignments ahead of the poll.

In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu, the APC candidate, defeated Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

A photo combination of Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Tinubu secured more than eight million votes, while Atiku and Obi each polled more than six million votes. Kwankwaso secured more than one million votes.

Ahead of the 2027 poll, opposition politicians have intensified coalition-building efforts, with Atiku and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi emerging as leading figures in the ADC-led opposition coalition, while Obi is seeking the presidency under the NDC.

The incumbent president is also seeking a second term for the nation’s top job. The campaign season began a day after major presidential contenders signed a National Peace Accord on Tuesday, pledging to conduct their campaigns and the election peacefully.