The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his reported reluctance to campaign across all 36 states ahead of the 2027 general election, accusing him of lacking the energy and competence to govern the country.
Obi, who spoke on Thursday at a political summit in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, challenged Tinubu to account for his achievements in the past three years and explain how funds borrowed by his administration had been utilised.
Tinubu had reportedly indicated that he might not visit all 36 states during the 2027 campaign, citing the need to focus on governance.
Reacting, Obi said the President had spent more than 260 days outside Nigeria but was unwilling to devote 36 days to visiting the states and engaging with Nigerians.
“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,” he said.
He added, “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.
“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.”
The former Anambra State governor also cautioned against ethnic divisions in the South-East, insisting that voters should support him based on his capacity to lead rather than his ethnic background.
“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.
“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,” he said.
Outlining his proposed agenda, Obi said his administration would declare emergencies in key sectors, including national unity, security, education, healthcare, agriculture and the fight against corruption.
He promised to tackle insecurity decisively, strengthen security agencies and ensure the protection of lives and property across the country.
On corruption, Obi vowed to ensure that public funds were used for the benefit of Nigerians, warning that anyone found guilty of embezzling public resources would face prosecution, regardless of their position.
“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 declared.
Obi also pledged to address the country’s out-of-school children crisis, citing an estimated 18 million children currently out of school.
He said his administration would prioritise food security by supporting farmers to return to their farms, increase agricultural production and boost exports.
On healthcare, he promised to establish functional healthcare facilities in every political ward, arguing that Nigeria had the resources to provide accessible medical services to its citizens.
