Peter Obi Sparks Talks As He Describes Kwankwaso As Key Political Partner

Obi made the declaration in his acceptance speech after emerging as the party’s presidential flagbearer. The statement was shared on his official handle on Sunday.

The former Anambra State governor formally introduced Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, as his running mate on Saturday, describing the development as part of a broader commitment to national service.

He said his administration would focus on building a “New Nigeria” anchored on unity, security, economic transformation, and accountable governance.

According to him, “In this journey, democracy will be made to work effectively, and the Vice President will not be a spare tyre but a full partner. I hereby accept my nomination and formally present Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso @KwankwasoRM as my Vice President.”

Obi also expressed appreciation to the leadership of the NDC, including National Chairman Seriake Dickson, the National Secretary, members of the National Working Committee, and supporters across the country.

Security Concerns

He noted that Nigeria is currently at a critical stage marked by uncertainty, rising insecurity, economic hardship, and declining public confidence in governance.

Obi warned against ethnic, religious, and regional divisions, stressing that Nigeria’s diversity should be seen as a strength rather than a source of conflict.

He highlighted that global security assessments ranked Nigeria among the countries most affected by terrorism, moving from 8th in 2022 to 6th in 2024 and 4th in 2026.

He also recalled Nigeria’s past reputation for contributing significantly to international peacekeeping and regional stability.

“We must address insecurity urgently, as no nation can thrive when its citizens live in fear. The core duty of government is the protection of lives and property,” he stated.

Healthcare and Education

On healthcare, Obi said Nigeria’s system remains underperforming, with only a fraction of its primary healthcare centres fully functional and low health insurance coverage nationwide.

He pledged to expand health insurance coverage to over 20 percent within four years, increase healthcare funding to at least 10 percent of GDP, and rehabilitate primary healthcare centres across all wards in the country.

He also promised improvements in staffing, training, and healthcare delivery systems.

On education, he emphasized human capital development, saying his administration would prioritise schools, teachers, and vocational training.

Economy, Agriculture, and Power

Obi raised concerns over food insecurity, noting projections that over 35 million Nigerians could face acute hunger, according to the World Food Programme.

He stressed the need to harness Nigeria’s vast uncultivated land through agricultural investment and modernization.

On electricity, he said Nigeria currently generates about 4,000 megawatts for a population exceeding 200 million and pledged to increase generation by at least 10,000 megawatts within four years.

He also highlighted unemployment as a major challenge, arguing that real unemployment and underemployment exceed official figures, with youth unemployment particularly high.

To address this, he promised targeted support for micro, small, and medium enterprises through tax incentives, funding access, and sector-specific interventions.

Governance and Reform Agenda

Obi further pledged to fight corruption, reduce the cost of governance, strengthen the rule of law, and deepen democratic institutions.

Both Obi and Kwankwaso were contenders in the previous presidential election, where they finished third and fourth respectively, behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu.