Following his confirmation as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has named former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate.
The announcement was made at a Special Convention in Abuja, which was monitored by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In his acceptance speech to delegates, National Working Committee members, and party leaders led by National Chairman Seriake Dickson, Obi warned that Nigeria is at a dangerous crossroads filled with fear, uncertainty, and a loss of public trust.
He noted that families are anxious about safety, youth are questioning their futures, and struggling businesses are causing citizens to lose faith in governance.
Despite this grim reality, Obi rejected total despair, rallying supporters with his core mission: “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
Framing his candidacy as a duty to the nation rather than personal ambition, he urged Nigerians to rebuild trust, institutions, and national unity.
He warned that ethnic and religious divisions are weakening the country’s foundation, declaring that Nigeria cannot progress while fragmented.
Obi urged citizens to “build bridges where others erect barriers”, adding that the country must not allow internal fractures to destroy its future, warning, in reference to Will Durant, that “a great civilisation is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within”.
Obi placed security at the heart of his speech, pointing to a grim trajectory – Nigeria rose from the 8th most terrorism-affected nation in 2022 to 6th in 2024, and 4th in 2026.
This stands in stark contrast to the nation’s proud history as a global peacekeeping powerhouse in places like Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda, under legendary officers like retired Lt. Gen. Isaac Obiakor.
To rescue citizens from living in constant fear, the former Anambra governor promised an intelligence-led, tech-forward, and community-based strategy.
He emphasized that safeguarding lives is a government’s primary duty, which also means tackling poverty, joblessness, and marginalization.
Obi labeled Nigeria’s healthcare system “deeply broken,” citing its 157th global ranking and the fact that a staggering 80% to 90% of the country’s 30,000 primary healthcare centers are completely non-functional.
The results are devastating: high infant mortality and a mere 10% insurance coverage. Obi’s four-year fix includes:
*Doubling health insurance coverage to over 20%.
*Upgrading healthcare spending from under 5% to over 10% of GDP.
*Reviving at least 15,000 clinics to guarantee a working healthcare center in all 8,809 wards.
On education and hunger, the former Labour Party presidential candidate framed education as the ultimate tool for national revival, stating that robust investment in teachers, schools, and skills training will transform Nigeria from “shared poverty to collective prosperity.”
This revival is urgent, he noted, pointing to Nigeria’s slide on the Global Hunger Index (from 109th in 2023 to 115th in 2025) and warning that over 35 million Nigerians are now trapped in acute food insecurity.
On the economy and infrastructure, Obi said Nigeria’s electricity deficit remained a major constraint, noting that the country generates only about 4,000 megawatts for more than 200 million people, and promised to increase power generation and distribution by at least 10,000 megawatts within four years.
He also challenged official unemployment figures, arguing that real underemployment and youth unemployment exceed 30 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively, pledging targeted support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through tax incentives and sectoral investment.
On governance, Obi promised a measurable reduction in corruption and public-sector waste, insisting that government resources would be managed with “absolute transparency, prudence, and accountability”, while pledging that “the rule of law will be fiercely upheld.”
The convention formally ratified the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket after Victor Umeh moved the motion for affirmation, declaring that the party was united “in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution”, while Omo-Agege seconded the motion, expressing “hope, excitement, and great expectation.”
In his remarks, NDC National Chairman Moses Cleopas described Obi’s candidacy as the nation’s central hope.
“It is like a dream to many of us who are students of the political school led by the leader and founder of this party,” he said, noting that the party had grown from registration barely three months ago into a nationwide movement.
“Here we are today, conducting party primaries across the length and breadth of the country… the remaining hope for this country is Mr Peter Gregory Obi,” he added, describing the party as “the party of hope” and calling its mission “a sacred duty”.
The national leader of the party, Sen. Seriake Dickson, reinforced the party’s message of renewal, noting that Nigerians had continued to show resilience despite hardship.
“Despite the challenges facing our nation, particularly insecurity and economic hardship, Nigerians continue to demonstrate resilience and hope for a better future,” he said.
He then formally presented the party symbol to Obi, declaring: “On behalf of the National Chairman, I have the honour of presenting this symbol of victory, this symbol of salvation, this symbol of rescue—the NDC flag,” describing it as “the flag of a party that has become the hope of millions of Nigerians.”
The event sealed the NDC’s entry into the 2027 race with what party leaders described as a mission to rebuild a fractured nation.
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