African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain and 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has declared his intention to transform Northern Nigeria, asserting that no other political actor has the vision he holds for the region.
Obi made the statement on Monday night during an interview on ARISE News Channel, where he addressed issues of national unity, political alliances, and development priorities ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on his recent meeting with Kwankwasiyya Movement leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, which has triggered speculation about a possible alliance, Obi said the engagement reflected broader efforts to foster unity across political and regional lines.
"One of the things that is affecting us today in this country is lack of unity. We need now to be united as a country. We have to now ensure that religion, tribe does not exist in building this future we want. We need united, secure Nigeria where we can start conversing and discussing issues that help us to build a better future," he said.
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On suggestions that he would need the backing of key Northern political figures such as Nasir El-Rufai and Kwankwaso to secure electoral success in 2027 election, and convince the North to vote for him, Obi said he was working with them but remained confident in his own plans for the region.
"Well, my reaction is that I work with them so they can do that. But I can tell you, you can take it in this studio. Nobody can build or do what I intend to do in the North. I'll change the North," he said.
He maintained that Northern Nigeria holds the country's greatest economic assets, particularly in agriculture, which he described as a viable alternative to oil dependency.
"Aggregated assets as a country is in the North. The vast uncultivated land is our future. We can make more money as a country from agriculture than we make from oil. And that we have to start doing immediately," Obi stated.
According to him, addressing insecurity in the North required deliberate investment in critical sectors, including agriculture, education, and healthcare, to lift people out of poverty.
"If we want to secure the North today, we need to start investing in those critical areas -- agriculture, start pulling people out of poverty, invest in education, invest in health. And that we can do," he said.
Obi added that his proposals were informed by his exposure to global best practices through extensive international travels and studies.
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"I have taken time, if I can say it, more than any other person could test me, to visit different countries to see firsthand what they are doing. And I could see it in the North. I could see that future," he added.
