Nigeria at 66: Obi Calls for National Reflection, Prioritises Security and Jobs

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for an “honest national reflection” on Nigeria’s development, saying the country must focus more on production, jobs, security and human development.

Obi made the call Thursday in his Independence Day address as Nigeria marked its 66th anniversary. He said the occasion should be more than a celebration and should prompt Nigerians to assess the country’s progress and challenges.

“Independence anniversaries must never be reduced to mere celebration. They are moments for honest national reflection,” Obi said.

He argued that Nigeria’s challenge was not a lack of resources but the failure to convert its human and natural wealth into “human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.”

Obi also cited his recent visit to Sokoto State with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, including a visit to an internally displaced persons camp in Ramin Kura.

He said the conditions there highlighted the impact of insecurity on displaced women and children.

“These are Nigerians who should be living in their communities, going to school, farming their land, conducting their businesses and contributing to the economy,” he said.

Obi said that, if elected president, his administration would pursue measurable and accountable governance, with emphasis on security, education, health care, agriculture, manufacturing and job creation.

“We will confront insecurity decisively so that our farmers can return to their farms, our children can return to school, businesses can operate freely, and families can live without fear,” he said.

He also pledged to promote a more productive economy and ensure that public resources are deployed for the benefit of citizens.

Obi said Nigerians should remain hopeful, insisting that “a new Nigeria is possible.”

“The Nigeria we desire will not be built by prayers alone, nor by promises alone,” he said. “It will be built by leadership that understands that public office is a sacred trust, by citizens who demand accountability, and by all of us who refuse to accept failure as our destiny.”