Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says he will not spend his holidays abroad if elected president in the 2027 elections.
In his address on Thursday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day anniversary, Obi said he would spend his vacations across Nigeria if elected president, adding that he would “lead by example”.
“In four years as president of this great nation, I will not spend my holidays outside Nigeria. My holidays will be spent in Zamfara state; Borno state; Kwara state; Ebonyi state; Edo state; Ekiti state and other Nigerian states,” Obi said.
“I want to continue to see Nigeria. I want to know Nigeria. I want to spend time with Nigerians, listen to them, understand their challenges and celebrate their resilience.”
Obi’s comment comes amid criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s trips abroad, including during holiday periods.
Tinubu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday after spending about a month in Europe.
Obi said that if given the mandate to rule Nigeria, he would build a nation that is secure, united, and productive, and govern with competence, accountability, and justice.
He said he will make Nigeria a country where no child is denied education because of untold poverty or unbearable insecurity, no mother dies because she cannot access basic healthcare, farmers can return safely to their farms, young people can find opportunities to work and prosper; and public resources are deployed strictly for the public good.
“We will build a Nigeria that our children and future generations will be proud to inherit, a Nigeria where unity, peace, justice and prosperity are not merely words in speeches, but lived realities for our people,” Obi said.
The former Anambra governor said independence anniversaries are moments for honest national reflection and must never be reduced to mere celebration.
“We must look back, examine where we stand today, and ask ourselves whether we are moving in the direction our founding fathers envisioned,” he said.
“In national planning and strategy, every serious nation must continually ask three fundamental questions: Where are we today? Where do we want to be? How do we get from where we are to where we want to be?
“These questions are especially urgent now. Despite the enormous promises made by the APC-led government in 2023, our nation continues to face deepening challenges across virtually every critical sector of national life.
“Today we stand before the world as a nation: With an extraordinarily large population living in poverty and severe hardship; over 140 million.”
Obi claimed that Nigeria has one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world, with more than 18 million children affected.
He said insecurity, terrorism, banditry and kidnapping continue to threaten lives and livelihoods, while millions of Nigerians are struggling with hunger and food insecurity, with more than 40 million projected to face extreme hunger by the end of 2026.
The NDC presidential candidate said Nigeria’s desire will not be built on prayers or promises alone, but on leadership that understands public office is a sacred trust.
