The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Coalition, Peter Obi, on Saturday formally accepted his nomination and unveiled an ambitious reform agenda aimed at confronting the worsening insecurity, economic stagnation, and infrastructure deficit of the country. As part of his comprehensive plans, the former governor of Anambra State pledged to increase electricity generation to 10,000 megawatts within the next four years. Obi made the commitment during his acceptance speech delivered in Abuja after emerging as the flag bearer of the political platform, where he expressed gratitude to party leaders and delegates for the trust reposed in his leadership.
Delivering his address, the presidential candidate stated, “It is with deep humility that I accept the role of presidential candidate for our party. I express my profound gratitude to the leaders of our party, His Excellency Seriake Dickson, the National Chairman, National Secretary and the National Working Committee members of our relentless supporters, and the Nigerian populace who have steadfastly kept the spirit of hope alive,” He noted that the country is currently at a difficult crossroads characterized by widespread economic hardship, security challenges, and declining public confidence in state institutions.
Obi lamented the current state of affairs across the country, noting that the situation had created disillusionment among communities and corporate organizations. He stated, “Businesses are struggling, communities are suffering, and an alarming number of citizens have lost faith in the very concept of governance. Yet, I stand before you filled with optimism and strong faith in the resilience of our people, for I firmly believe that a New Nigeria is possible,” He added that the diversity of the nation should serve as a source of strength rather than a tool for division along regional, religious, and ethnic lines.
Addressing national security, the candidate expressed worry over how the security architecture has deteriorated significantly over the years. Highlighting international metrics, he said, “In terms of security, the situation in Nigeria has considerably worsened. The global terrorism impact assessments ranked Nigeria as the 8th most affected nation in 2022, 6th in 2024, and 4th in 2026.” He contrasted this reality with the historical peacekeeping achievements of the country, where the military once commanded global respect during international assignments. He vowed that his administration would implement immediate reforms to restore safety, stating, “We must address insecurity with resolve and urgency, for no nation can thrive while its citizens live in trepidation. The primary responsibility of government is to ensure the safeguarding of lives and property,” He promised to introduce an intelligence driven and technology supported framework to counter immediate threats while tackling underlying drivers like unemployment and poverty.
On public health, the candidate decried the poor health indicators of the country, particularly regarding infant mortality and low health insurance enrollment. He said, “Nigeria suffers from one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. Furthermore, health insurance coverage in Nigeria hovers around a mere 10 per cent, in stark contrast to countries like Indonesia, which boast over 90 per cent coverage. This situation is regrettable. I pledge that within four years, our health insurance coverage will more than double to over 20 per cent,”
Turning to the energy sector, Obi described the electricity crisis as a major hindrance to national development, comparing the local power output unfavorably with other global economies. He noted, “Nigeria today is the nation with the highest number of citizens lacking access to electricity globally. We currently generate and distribute a mere 4,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity for a population exceeding 200 million,” To reverse this trend, he made a major campaign promise, stating, “Over the next four years, I commit to ensuring a minimum of 10,000 MW power increase generation and distribution,” He also spoke on unemployment, arguing that official labor figures fail to capture the real dimension of the job crisis, and pledged targeted interventions for small businesses and youth enterprises alongside deliberate strategies to reduce governance costs and corruption.
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