- Obi defended his movement across political parties, blaming internal crises and lack of ideology
- He said he has solutions for Nigeria’s challenges but would not reveal his plans yet
- Obi promised to serve one term and strengthen democracy if elected president
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has defended his movement across different political parties, saying his decisions were influenced by internal crises and the lack of clear ideological direction among many Nigerian political platforms.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said many parties in the country have become weakened by leadership disputes and internal conflicts, making it difficult for politicians seeking reforms to remain within such structures.
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He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television, where he also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of contributing to instability within opposition parties to reduce political competition.
According to him, a strong democracy requires independent and vibrant political parties that can provide credible alternatives to voters.
“The reason I changed parties is because of the instability in those parties. What we have today is a situation where the ruling party is interested in ensuring that opposition parties remain unstable,” he said.
The NDC candidate, however, declined to reveal detailed plans on how he intends to address Nigeria’s economic and security challenges if elected in 2027, saying he would unveil his strategies at the appropriate time.
Obi assured Nigerians that he understands the solutions needed to tackle the country’s problems and would prioritise national interests if given the opportunity to lead.
“I know what to do. But I can’t make them open on this national television. I will serve with utmost commitment and put Nigeria and Nigerians first,” he said.
The former governor also addressed reports linking him to offshore accounts following revelations from the Panama Papers, admitting that he maintained foreign accounts but described the funds as personal family savings.
Obi said the accounts were opened while he was living in the United Kingdom and that he had declared his assets to the relevant Nigerian authorities.
“There is nothing called a tax haven in the way people describe it. I opened an account while I lived in the UK and started saving for what I called a family estate,” he stated.
He added that the Code of Conduct Bureau investigated his declared foreign assets and found no wrongdoing.
The Panama Papers were a collection of leaked documents that exposed offshore financial arrangements involving individuals and organisations across the world.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party, has previously run for office on different political platforms.
He served as Anambra State governor under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election, before becoming the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023.
He later moved to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) before joining the NDC ahead of the 2027 election.
Responding to criticism over his political movements, Obi argued that Nigeria’s democracy would improve when parties operate independently without interference or manipulation.
He maintained that mature democracies thrive on strong opposition, saying no government should fear constructive criticism.
On the performance of President Bola Tinubu during his time as Lagos State governor, Obi acknowledged that Tinubu achieved some successes but argued that similar results had not been recorded at the national level.
He urged Nigerians to focus the 2027 election debate on major issues such as poverty, insecurity, healthcare, education and food shortages rather than political personalities.
Speaking on fuel subsidy removal, Obi said the policy was unavoidable but criticised the way it was implemented.
He argued that the government should have provided better planning, communication and support measures before removing the subsidy to reduce its impact on citizens.
Obi also promised to strengthen democratic institutions, protect the rule of law and ensure credible elections if elected president.
He maintained his commitment to serving only one term, insisting that four years would be enough to set Nigeria on the path of progress.
Obi said political parties should be built around ideas, policies and national development goals rather than personal interests and struggles for control.
He explained that his decision to move between parties was based on circumstances surrounding each platform rather than personal ambition.
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