Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful progress while citizens continue to live in fear, calling for urgent measures to address insecurity and protect lives and property.
Obi made the remarks on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, during a courtesy visit to the Plateau State Traditional Council in Jos, ahead of a town hall meeting as part of his consultations with Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He explained that his decision to engage communities before the commencement of election campaigns was informed by the need to listen directly to citizens, understand their challenges and develop solutions based on their actual needs.
“When you want to serve, you must listen to the people. When we come for campaigns, we only talk and we don’t listen to the people. We have decided that leadership must be demand-driven,” he said.
The former governor recalled his visits to Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and other communities affected by insecurity in Plateau State, describing the security situation as unacceptable.
Obi said his presidential ambition was driven partly by the need to address the suffering of Nigerians affected by violence, including displaced persons and families who have lost loved ones.
“If I have one person in an IDP camp, it means we are all in an IDP camp. I am competing because I want to know how we talk to that mother whose child was killed, that husband who lost a wife and that woman who lost a husband. Who is going to listen to their cries?” he asked.
He also raised concerns over poverty, infant mortality and the growing number of out-of-school children, arguing that Nigeria has the resources to confront these challenges through sustained investment in education, healthcare and agriculture.
Obi stressed that Nigerians should be able to carry out their daily activities without fear, adding that children should return safely from school, farmers from their farms and traders from markets.
Responding, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, appealed to politicians and citizens to ensure that political activities do not aggravate the country’s security challenges.
He called for peaceful political engagement, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, warning against allowing political disagreements to deepen existing tensions.
“We want to appeal to all politicians and all Nigerians that we should not allow politics to worsen our situation. We already have insecurity, and we must be determined to live with each other in peace and with respect for one another,” the traditional ruler said.
The Gbong Gwom Jos also prayed for divine guidance in the emergence of a leader capable of governing the country effectively and urged political actors to promote peace throughout the electioneering period.
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