Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has emerged as the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general election.
Obi was affirmed as the party’s sole aspirant and accepted the nomination at a special convention in Abuja, pledging to pursue major reforms in the power sector and raise Nigeria’s electricity generation and distribution capacity by at least 10,000 megawatts within four years if elected.
In his acceptance speech, Obi said his administration would focus on expanding power supply, creating jobs, tackling insecurity, stimulating economic growth, and addressing hunger through investments in critical sectors of the economy.
Reiterating his popular campaign message that “a New Nigeria is Possible,” the former Labour Party presidential candidate said the country requires a new approach to governance and economic management.
Moments after his affirmation as the NDC flag bearer, Obi announced former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate, creating one of the most significant opposition alliances ahead of the next presidential election.
The announcement followed months of political consultations and speculation about a possible partnership between the two politicians, who both contested the 2023 presidential election on separate platforms.
The Obi-Kwankwaso ticket brings together two influential political movements with strong support bases in different parts of the country.
Obi retains considerable backing among young voters and supporters across the South-East and parts of the South-South, while Kwankwaso remains a major political force in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria through the Kwankwasiyya movement.
The development comes weeks after Obi and Kwankwaso left the African Democratic Congress-led opposition coalition and joined the NDC, citing internal disagreements, legal disputes, and divisions within their former political platform.
Their exit was widely viewed as a setback for efforts to build a broad opposition coalition against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the next election cycle.
At the convention, party leaders expressed confidence that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would strengthen the NDC’s chances in the presidential contest.
The nomination was moved by Senator Victor Umeh and seconded by former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege before delegates ratified Obi’s candidacy.
Senior party figures, including former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, later presented the party flag to Obi as the NDC’s standard bearer.
Comments
Add a comment