The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has confirmed that he will contest the 2027 presidential election and is prepared to serve a single four-year term if elected.
Obi also dismissed reports suggesting he had engaged in talks or reached an agreement to run a joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
His position was made known in a statement issued on Monday by the Spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Ibrahim Umar, in Abuja. Obi made the comments during an X Space session on Sunday night, where he addressed questions from his supporters.
Obi acknowledged that he is involved in coalition discussions, but stressed that his priority remains addressing the pressing issues facing the country.
“If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians… Count me out. Nigeria is currently at war. We need to do something about it,” he said.
Obi urged Nigerians to join him in the mission to rescue the country. “I will bring stability in Nigeria within two years in office. Leaders of Nigeria should sit down in Nigeria and fix Nigeria,” he added.
On the situation within the Labour Party, Obi stated that he and other party leaders are working diligently to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognises the Nenadi Usman-led Labour Party, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
Speaking on the matter of power rotation, Obi said, “I believe in the rotation of government between North and South. I implemented it in Anambra as a governor.”
When asked about President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to St Lucia, Obi remarked, “In two years, Tinubu has not spent one night in any state in Nigeria apart from Lagos, yet he is going to spend eight nights in St Lucia, a place smaller than Ajegunle. St Lucia is about the size of the 10th largest city of Nigeria, Ilorin. President Tinubu has never slept a night in any state of Nigeria outside Lagos since the assumption of office in 2023. PBAT to stay in St Lucia for 10 days.”
On his preparations for the 2027 election, Obi stated, “We will do things differently in 2027. We will follow a non-violent approach and insist that the right thing will be done before the result announcement in Abuja. Our votes in 2027 will count, and we will ensure they count.
“Three things to follow up with in the first 100 days… prioritise on security, education and poverty eradication; cut costs and shun corruption. My family will not be involved in corruption. Funds to be channelled into key critical sectors.
“My Presidency will ensure there is a strong opposition in party politics. There will be no defection of elected officials to other parties when I am in charge.
“Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue, Borno, and other parts of the country, and our leaders are commissioning bus stops and holidaying.
“To bring order in governance, I will prioritise security, education, and pulling people out of poverty. To do this is by cutting the cost of governance and fighting corruption from day one.
“My past speaks loudly for me. Wherever there was an issue in Anambra State, I was there physically. Anybody who wants to serve should be ready to put even their life on the line for the lives of Nigerians.
“Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government,” Obi said.
