By NEWSCOUNT Desk

The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that a new and productive Nigeria is possible, expressing confidence that the country can overcome its economic, security and governance challenges if the right leadership and policies are put in place.

Obi made the declaration on Monday, October 26, during the inauguration of the NDC Campaign Council in Abuja, where he outlined his plans for rebuilding the country ahead of the 2027 general elections. He spoke alongside his political ally, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as he called on party members and Nigerians to join the movement for national renewal.

Addressing the gathering, Obi lamented that Nigeria, despite its abundant natural and human resources, had become the world’s poverty capital, with more than 140 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty, representing over 60 per cent of the population.

He said corruption remained widespread, while insecurity, unemployment and inequality had reached alarming levels, leaving millions of citizens struggling with severe economic hardship.

According to him, the removal of the fuel subsidy and the country’s rising debt, which he put at over ₦165 trillion, had not produced a corresponding improvement in productivity or the living conditions of Nigerians.

Obi accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of worsening the country’s economic difficulties, claiming that about 16 million Nigerians had been pushed into extreme poverty in the current year.

He also criticised Tinubu for blaming previous administrations and opposition leaders for the hunger and poverty confronting Nigerians, insisting that the country’s present challenges required responsible leadership and practical solutions.

The former Anambra State governor argued that Nigeria needed a government capable of restoring public confidence, strengthening institutions and creating an environment in which citizens and businesses could thrive.

He said Tinubu’s administration had failed to provide the leadership required to address the country’s worsening difficulties, accusing the government of presiding over increasing poverty and insecurity.

Obi also expressed concern over the state of the electricity sector, noting that inadequate power supply had continued to undermine businesses, hospitals, schools and households.

He said unreliable electricity prevented businesses from expanding efficiently, weakened healthcare delivery, disrupted educational activities and forced households to bear additional costs.

He promised that an NDC government would pursue an electricity reform programme focused on reliability, affordability, investment and accountability.

According to him, the proposed reforms would involve working with relevant federal and state institutions, regulators, operators and investors to address the challenges affecting generation, transmission and distribution.

He stressed that reliable electricity was essential to improving productivity, attracting investment, creating employment and reducing the cost of doing business in Nigeria.

On corruption, Obi alleged that the practice had become more pervasive under the All Progressives Congress-led administration, with its effects spreading through public institutions and different aspects of national life since 2023.

He lamented what he described as a crisis of values in the country, arguing that public budgets, laws and institutions had suffered serious degradation.

To illustrate the importance of decisive leadership in tackling corruption, Obi cited Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who had emphasised the difficulty of addressing corruption when it spread from the highest levels of government to the lowest ranks of the bureaucracy.

Obi said the Singaporean experience demonstrated that fighting corruption required courage, strong leadership and moral authority founded on unquestioned integrity.

He pledged that, if elected president, he would lead a decisive campaign against corruption on a scale he said Nigeria had never witnessed before.

He maintained that public office must be treated as a position of responsibility and that public resources must be managed transparently for the benefit of citizens.

On insecurity, Obi promised a firm response to banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes, saying his administration would identify perpetrators and their sponsors, dismantle their criminal networks and restore peace and freedom of movement.

He stated that his proposed government would extend an amnesty offer to bandits and kidnappers before its inauguration, but warned that crimes committed after the administration assumed office would be dealt with decisively through lawful means.

Obi said his government would also prioritise the resettlement of internally displaced persons, promising that they would return to their communities within the first two years of his administration.

He added that the affected persons would receive support to rebuild their lives and regain their dignity rather than remain indefinitely in displacement camps.

He stressed that restoring security was essential to reviving economic activities, enabling farmers to return to their land and restoring normal life in communities affected by violence.

Obi identified agriculture and industrialisation as major priorities of his proposed administration, promising to transform the agricultural sector into a significant source of food security, employment, industrial development and export earnings.

He said his government would support farmers to return to their farms after security had been restored and encourage smallholder farming to increase food production.

He also promised to work with state governments and regional authorities to identify products in which their areas possessed comparative advantages and establish processing facilities close to farming communities.

According to him, processing agricultural produce near its source would promote value addition, create employment, strengthen rural economies and increase the earnings of farmers.

He said Nigeria must become globally competitive in agricultural products where the country possessed comparative and competitive advantages, adding that agriculture should serve as a major supplier of affordable food and a source of foreign exchange.

Obi particularly highlighted the agricultural potential of Northern Nigeria, promising to develop the region into an agro-industrial cluster that would strengthen the country’s industrial capacity and economic growth.

He said he would dedicate his energies to fulfilling his promise of transforming agriculture and industrialising the country if elected president in 2027.

On education and healthcare, Obi said his government would work with state governments to improve primary, secondary and technical education while strengthening the quality of healthcare available to Nigerians.

He promised to train more teachers and improve their remuneration and welfare packages, declaring that teachers would be among the highest-remunerated groups in the country under his proposed administration.

He also pledged to subsidise education to ensure that no child or qualified Nigerian was denied the opportunity to acquire an education because of financial constraints.

He said nations that had achieved significant development had invested deliberately in education and the wellbeing of their citizens, adding that Nigeria must follow the same path if it hoped to improve productivity and living standards.

Obi further promised to introduce targeted subsidies across critical sectors of the economy, including education, agriculture and energy, to support citizens and stimulate economic activities.

He explained that government support should be directed towards sectors capable of improving productivity, reducing hardship and creating opportunities for economic growth.

He maintained that Nigeria’s abundant natural resources must no longer be wasted or mismanaged, insisting that public resources should be used to improve the welfare of citizens and strengthen the country’s productive capacity.

Obi said his vision was to build a country founded on fairness, justice, equity and inclusion, where good governance was firmly established, public officials were accountable and government prioritised the security and welfare of the people.

He also envisaged a society where every child attended school and acquired basic literacy, citizens enjoyed access to quality healthcare, and corruption no longer weakened public institutions.

Calling on members of the NDC and Nigerians across the country to join the movement, Obi said he and Kwankwaso were committed to rebuilding the nation and creating a more productive economy.

He urged Nigerians to unite behind the vision of a country where opportunities were available to all, public institutions worked effectively and citizens could live in safety and dignity.

Obi said the proposed administration would work aggressively to reduce the cost of living, lift Nigerians out of poverty and establish a system of governance that delivered measurable benefits to the population.

Concluding his remarks, the NDC presidential candidate declared: “A New and Productive Nigeria Is Possible, and Nigeria will be very OK!”

He added: “God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”