The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has officially announced his intention to run for president again in 2027, promising to “change the trajectory of Nigeria to a positive one” within four years if elected.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, which was broadcast on Channels Television, the former Anambra State governor said he is confident in his leadership capacity and urged Nigerians to prioritize competence over sentiment in the next election.
“I am contesting, and I am sure I will be on the ballot. People will have to look at who has the capacity, who has everything. I think I am qualified; I have the capacity to do the job,” Obi said.
“In four years, I can change the trajectory of Nigeria to a positive one.”
Obi, who contested under the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, reaffirmed his membership in the party but also expressed commitment to working with opposition leaders through a coalition platform under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He dismissed rumours about defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), emphasizing that his focus is on uniting all “well-meaning Nigerians” to rescue the nation from poor governance.
Criticizing what he described as excessive political drama amid widespread hardship, Obi said the priority should be addressing poverty, not power plays.
“Why are we not talking about the 139 million people who are poor in this country?” he asked.
Reacting to recent defections of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obi said such moves were driven by personal political choices, not coercion.
“We are not in a military time when you capture people. Democracy is sustained by persuasion, not force,” he added.
Obi described Mbah as a friend and said governors must be free to make decisions that align with their own political convictions.
