Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has confirmed that he intends to contest the 2027 presidential election, striking a cautious and reflective tone as he stressed that political ambition must be subordinated to humility, service, and Nigeria’s collective survival.
“Yes, I will be on the ballot in 2027,” Obi said during an extended interaction on X (formerly Twitter) Spaces. “But I am not God. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.”
Obi’s remarks set the tone for a wide-ranging discussion in which he blended personal reflection with policy positions, presenting his aspiration not as a quest for power but as a commitment to the belief that Nigeria can still function if guided by competent, ethical, and compassionate leadership.
He emphasized that he was not desperate for office, cautioning supporters against insults, aggression, and political hostility carried out in his name.
“I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work,” he said, warning that arrogance, name-calling, and intimidation only deepen national divisions.
Describing his personal life as modest and stable, Obi said public criticism no longer unsettles him. What concerns him more, he noted, is Nigeria’s worsening security situation and declining national confidence.
“What should worry us is that people can no longer travel freely across this country,” he said, recalling a period when Nigerians could move across regions without fear and participate freely in economic and social activities nationwide.
Obi cited his record in office as his strongest credential, challenging critics to point to any instance of personal enrichment during his tenure as Anambra governor. He said he left $150 million in savings for the state, arguing that good governance is measurable and verifiable.
“I didn’t leave one million dollars. I left 150 million dollars,” he said, adding that the value of those funds today would surprise many Nigerians.
He recounted instances of personal restraint in public office, including declining luxury vehicles both as a bank chairman and as governor, while prioritizing institutional strengthening. During his first term as governor, he said he drove a Peugeot 406 while ensuring that judges, magistrates, and senior civil servants were provided official vehicles.
“These things are not pretence,” he said. “This is how I live.”
Obi also recalled reallocating land initially assigned to him to a retiring civil servant who had worked for 35 years without owning a home, describing the act as symbolic of the values Nigeria urgently needs.
On opposition realignments and coalition talks ahead of 2027, Obi said he would only participate in alliances driven by public interest rather than personal ambition.
“I will only be part of a coalition that is committed to forming a government that will serve the people and change the narrative of Nigeria,” he said, adding that he had prayed not to be drawn into power arrangements lacking a clear purpose.
He rejected allegations of ethnic or religious bias, citing his record of cross-regional collaboration in public service and business. Obi noted that all his commissioners of police, as governor, were from Northern states, while his professional teams were drawn from across the federation.
“My ADC as governor was from Kano. My wife is from Akwa Ibom. I have worked with Nigerians from everywhere,” he said.
On the economy, Obi reiterated his opposition to taxation policies that ignore productivity and widespread hardship, arguing that job creation and economic expansion must come before aggressive taxation.
“We cannot tax poverty. Tax is a function of productivity,” he said.
Despite confirming his intention to run in 2027, Obi repeatedly returned to the themes of uncertainty and humility, urging prayers, discipline, and responsible political engagement rather than abuse or confrontation.
“Nigerians must stop celebrating arrogance and bad behaviour as strength,” he said. “What we need is competence, compassion, commitment, and character.”
As the 2027 race gradually takes shape, Obi’s message stood out less for its certainty of victory than for its emphasis that Nigeria’s future depends on unity, hard work, and ethical leadership rather than division and hostility.
