Makinde, qualified to be Nigeria’s president – Obi

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, has declared that Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State Governor, is qualified to contest the 2027 presidential election, while calling for a free, fair and credible poll.

Obi made the remarks on Monday in Abuja during the official commissioning of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Headquarters of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

“Yes, Seyi Makinde is qualified to contest for President,” Obi said.

He said the essence of his presence at the event was to demonstrate that political leaders should not approach elections with desperation, insisting that Nigerians should be allowed to freely choose their preferred candidate.

“What we are doing today is to show you that, for us, we don’t have desperation. We want the people of Nigeria to make their choice,” he said.

Obi stressed that irrespective of the outcome of the election, political actors should be prepared to work together for the development of the country.

“Whoever they choose, all of us will come together to build a new Nigeria,” he said.

The former Anambra governor expressed concern over the economic and security challenges facing Nigerians, saying the country could not continue on its current path.

“We can’t all continue the way we are going today. Our people are hungry. Our people are poor. Our people are insecure,” he said.

Obi said the winner of a genuinely free, fair and credible election should receive the support of all Nigerians in efforts to prevent the country from sliding into further crisis.

“Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair and credible election, we all want to work together to save this country from collapse,” he said.

He also called for a change in the country’s political culture, advocating what he described as a social guarantee that would place the welfare of Nigerians at the centre of political competition.

“We declare here the social guarantee to assure you that we are changing the politics. We don’t want policies of quarrel, politics of disagreement,” Obi said.

According to him, political disagreements should instead focus on finding solutions to poverty and hunger.

“Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty,” he said.

Obi further advocated for a Nigeria where citizens can succeed based on merit rather than political connections.

“We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.

He expressed optimism that political leaders could work together as a family despite their differences, assuring supporters that they remained united in what he described as the rescue of Nigeria.

“I assure you that we remain united in our rescue for our dear country, Nigeria,” Obi said.