The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has warned political leaders against exploiting ethnic and state differences to divide the South-East ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that the region must not be turned into a battleground for political interests.
Obi's warning, delivered in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Thursday, appeared to be directed at recent divisive comments by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, which sought to create a political divide between Ebonyi and Anambra states.
Addressing supporters at a political summit, the former Anambra State governor urged the people of Ebonyi to assess his presidential ambition on the basis of his competence and qualifications rather than ethnic sentiment or regional considerations.
He specifically rejected the suggestion that his Igbo identity should be the basis for securing votes in the South-East, saying his ambition was to lead Nigeria as a qualified Nigerian.
"Let nobody divide the South-East. I don't want the people of Ebonyi to vote for me because I am from the South-East. I don't want you to vote for me because I am an Igbo person.
"My dear people, I want you to vote for me because I am qualified to be the President of this country. I want you to vote for me because I am the leading candidate," Obi said.
The former governor's intervention comes against the backdrop of political tensions and competing interests within the South-East as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also criticised President Bola Tinubu over his indication that he might not campaign in all 36 states, arguing that a president seeking another mandate should be prepared to account to Nigerians for his administration's performance.
Tinubu had reportedly explained that the demands of governance might prevent him from visiting every state during the electioneering period.
But Obi questioned the justification, recalling that the President had spent more than 260 days outside Nigeria while being unwilling to devote 36 days to campaigning across the country.
"I want President Tinubu to come to Abakaliki to tell the people what he has done in the past three years. I want him to come to Abakaliki to tell you what he used the money he has been borrowing to do for the past three years.
"I want him to come to Abakaliki to tell Nigerians what he has used their money to do. He said he will not come for a campaign.
"President Tinubu has stayed over 260 days out of Nigeria, yet he cannot spend up to 36 days to go round Nigeria to tell the people what he has been doing for the past three years. We will not do that," he said.
Obi, who described himself as the leading contender in the 2027 presidential race, said Tinubu lacked the competence and energy to continue governing Nigeria and urged him to leave office.
"President Tinubu does not have the competence to run Nigeria. He does not have the energy to run Nigeria. He should pack his things, go home and rest," he added.
Speaking on his policy priorities, Obi promised that an NDC government would declare emergencies in seven critical areas, including national unity, security, corruption, education, hunger and healthcare.
He said his administration would work towards building a country where citizens identified primarily as Nigerians rather than through ethnic affiliations.
According to him, federal character would be applied in public appointments to promote inclusion and national cohesion.
"We must unite this country; our pride should not be based on considerations of employment, this or that. We will operate federal character for all the jobs we have. So, we must unite the country," he said.
On security, Obi pledged to confront kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities through better-equipped security agencies and decisive government action.
He cited the abduction of schoolchildren as an unacceptable failure of the state, promising that his administration would prioritise the protection of students and other vulnerable citizens.
He also vowed to intensify the fight against corruption, warning that no public official, including the President, would be shielded from prosecution if found guilty of stealing public funds.
"I will fight corruption like nobody has fought it before. Public money must be used for public good; nobody will steal our money again. If you do it, you will go to jail, starting with the President," he said.
On education, the NDC candidate said his administration would tackle the country's out-of-school children crisis, which he put at more than 18 million.
He also promised to address hunger by supporting farmers to return to their farms, improve agricultural production and position Nigeria to export food.
In healthcare, Obi pledged to establish functional facilities in every political ward, arguing that the country had sufficient resources to guarantee access to basic medical services at the grassroots.
He said tackling these challenges would require a government committed to prioritising public welfare and ensuring that national resources were deployed for the benefit of citizens.
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