Obi: Nigeria needs a unifying president to overcome ethnic and religious divisions

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 general elections, has urged Nigerians to put national unity first and vote for a candidate capable of bringing the country together.

Speaking at a global digital town hall streamed live on Sunday evening, Obi addressed Nigerians at home and in the diaspora on voter mobilisation, election security and ways to protect the electoral process. He said a divided nation cannot achieve meaningful development and stressed the need to elect a leader who can unite its people.

In a statement issued on Monday by Idris Zekeri, spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Office, the former Anambra State governor said Nigerians are currently divided along ethnic and religious lines, even though the hardship they face is shared.

“No tribe enjoys greater security than another. Insecurity affects every part of the country. This is the same point I have consistently made.”

Obi said Nigeria needs a president who can bring its people together and work tirelessly to guarantee national security.

He called on citizens who want to elect their preferred leader to commit to protecting their votes and to remain at their polling units after voting until ballots are counted. He urged Nigerians to stay engaged and demand that every vote be counted.

The NDC candidate also asked supporters to mobilise voters and ensure polling agents are deployed across the country. According to him, his campaign is expanding its network of polling agents and working with other political parties to support free, fair and credible elections.

Obi warned voters against allowing money or intimidation to influence their choices, saying either could jeopardise their future. “If you accept money from them, that is money they would otherwise have spent on security, hospitals, and education,” he said.

On insecurity, he called for stronger measures, saying security agencies must be given the logistics and support they need to protect Nigerians.

“We have security agencies, and they must function effectively. We must provide them with the logistics they need to perform their duties and ensure that we stand by them. We must make certain that they are properly equipped and that their families are cared for if anything happens to them or they become unavailable. We need a president who will lead from the front,” he said.

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