…As Lawal warns election riggers at campaign inauguration

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has intensified its preparations for the 2027 general election, unveiling its national secretariat in Abuja.
The party also inaugurated its presidential campaign council and declared an uncompromising push for political change, as the Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi promised a war on corruption and measurable improvements in governance, while the party’s campaign advisory chief, Babachir David Lawal, warned against electoral malpractice and violence.

The twin messages of economic rescue and electoral vigilance defined the party’s activities on Monday, following its Third National Executive Committee meeting and the inauguration of its newly acquired national headquarters at 393 Etang Obuli Crescent, Jabi, Abuja.

At a dinner held to mark the occasion, Obi, who is running with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his vice-presidential candidate, pledged to confront insecurity, poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, insisting that an NDC administration would prioritise results over political blame games.

Lawal, chairman of the NDC Campaign Advisory Council, reinforced the party’s determination to win the presidential election, declaring that the country had reached a critical juncture and could not afford further regression.

“Nigeria is at a point where going backwards is not possible while going forward is replete with difficulties. But going forward we must,” he said in his address at the inauguration of the party’s election committees.

The developments signal the beginning of a more structured nationwide campaign by the NDC, which is seeking to position itself as an alternative to the administration of President Bola Tinubu, with a platform built around accountability, economic recovery, security and improved public services.

Obi puts corruption, economic recovery at heart of campaign

Obi made the fight against corruption a central pillar of his presidential campaign, arguing that public resources must be deployed for the benefit of citizens rather than diverted through corrupt practices.

“We must stop people from stealing public money. We must use public money for the public good. And that will be seen, it will be shown,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor questioned the outcomes of increased government revenue and borrowing under the Tinubu administration, challenging the federal government to provide a detailed account of its expenditure, projects and achievements.

He also alleged that implementation of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 budgets was poor, claiming that capital expenditure remained below 20 per cent and that contractors were experiencing payment difficulties.

Obi argued that Nigerians needed a government capable of addressing current challenges rather than repeatedly explaining their origins.

“The purpose of governance is to solve problems, not to blame people. Kwankwaso and I will not blame anybody. We will create that new Nigeria that is possible,” he said.

He maintained that an NDC government would insist on accountability from public officeholders and ensure that anyone found culpable of corruption answered in accordance with the law.

Security, agriculture and power top emergency agenda

Beyond corruption, Obi outlined emergency interventions in security, agriculture, education, healthcare and electricity, promising that the proposed administration would establish measurable targets and pursue implementation from its first day in office.

On security, he said the president must demonstrate direct leadership in responding to emergencies and visit communities affected by violence, kidnapping and other threats.

“If they say there is a problem in Jos, he will go to Jos,” Obi said, adding that affected states, including Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Sokoto and Borno, would receive attention.

He also pledged to declare an emergency in agriculture, particularly in northern Nigeria, where insecurity has disrupted farming and restricted access to productive land.

“We have vast land in the north. When we secure the north, our farmers must go back and produce what we eat and what we use for our industries,” he said.

The NDC candidate linked agricultural recovery to lower food prices, reduced hunger, job creation and stronger domestic production, arguing that restoring security in farming communities would be critical to rebuilding the economy.

On electricity, he promised emergency measures across generation, transmission and distribution, describing reliable power supply as indispensable to industrial revival and employment growth.

“We will declare emergency on generation, transmission, and distribution,” he said.

Obi also called for the revival of manufacturing industries, citing the decline of industrial activity in Kano as an example of the wider challenges confronting the productive sector. He argued that Nigeria must move away from an economy driven by consumption and borrowing towards one that creates jobs, expands production and earns sustainable income.

SMEs to receive more than 20% of credit

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also featured prominently in the NDC’s economic proposals, with Obi promising improved access to financing, tax relief and incentives for businesses.

Citing figures indicating that Nigeria has more than 40 million SMEs but that they receive less than five per cent of bank lending, he pledged that an NDC administration would ensure that more than 20 per cent of credit went to small businesses.

“We will put a mark to it. We will ensure that over 20% of credits will go to small businesses. We will support them,” he said.

The proposed measures, according to the candidate, would help unlock the capacity of small businesses to generate employment, expand domestic production and contribute more meaningfully to economic growth.

On education, Obi expressed concern about the number of children outside the formal school system, arguing that sustainable development would remain elusive without substantial investment in human capital.

“We must create a society where a child of nobody will be somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.

In healthcare, he renewed his pledge to establish a functional primary healthcare centre in every ward within two years of assuming office, with emphasis on access to basic medical services and the prevention of avoidable deaths.

He also criticised Tinubu’s foreign travels, arguing that the presidency should devote greater attention to domestic economic and security challenges.

Lawal: Election will be won at polling units

While Obi focused on the policy direction of a prospective NDC government, Lawal charged party leaders, candidates and supporters to prepare for a decisive electoral contest and guard against attempts to manipulate the outcome.

Lawal claimed that surveys and analyses conducted by polling agencies and scholars over several months placed the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket among the leading contenders, alleging that the pair ranked first in more than 20 states and a close second in several others. He did not provide polling data or survey reports to support the claim.

“Therefore, this election is ours to win or lose. And we are determined to win and we will do so on the first ballot,” he declared.

Lawal said the party would run an issues-based campaign, presenting its programmes, implementation strategies and measurable targets to Nigerians rather than relying on personal attacks, insults or unsubstantiated promises.

He, however, warned that civility should not be mistaken for weakness, insisting that the party would not tolerate violence against its supporters or attempts to manipulate election results.

“We are not going to be docile to absorb any violence targeted at us and our supporters just because Messrs Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso are peace-loving gentlemen,” he said.

The campaign advisory chairman also warned those contemplating electoral malpractice against assuming that the party would simply accept an unfavourable outcome and resort to prolonged litigation.

“This election will be won and lost at the polling booths, not the courts,” he said.

The statement underscored the party’s emphasis on polling-unit-level scrutiny, with Lawal urging supporters to turn out in large numbers and ensure that ballots were properly sorted, counted, recorded and announced.

He encouraged party members to follow results through successive collation centres, insisting that the process must remain transparent until the winner was declared.

Lawal described the NDC’s political mission as an effort to rescue Nigerians from entrenched poverty and insecurity, saying the party was prepared to confront the challenges ahead.

“In this election, as far as the NDC is concerned, there will be no cowardice, and so there will be no retreat or surrender,” he said.

NDC warns candidates against unfulfilled promises

Earlier, National Chairman Senator Moses Cleopas described the inauguration of the campaign council and the presentation of certificates of return to candidates as important milestones in the party’s preparations for the 2027 election.

Cleopas said the party had conducted its primaries within a short period and urged candidates to regard their nominations as a responsibility to the electorate rather than an entitlement to public office.

He disclosed that the certificates of return carried security codes and warned against unauthorised claims to candidacy.

The chairman also challenged candidates to deliver on their promises, saying the party would not accept a situation in which elected officials failed to meet commitments made during the campaign.

“If we fail to bring water for you in two years, if we open our mouths to say, vote for us again, please don’t vote for us,” he said.

“We are going for a rescue mission; the hope of this country is in NDC,” Cleopas added.

National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson, in turn, described the newly unveiled secretariat as the party’s “Noah’s Ark”, portraying it as a unifying base for members as the organisation moves towards the elections.

The gathering also featured Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central; Rivers State governorship candidate Dumo Lulu-Briggs; Senator Aisha Binani, the party’s Adamawa State governorship candidate; and other party leaders and members.

Party seeks to convert promises into electoral strength

The inauguration of the campaign council and establishment of a permanent national headquarters provide the NDC with an organisational base for coordinating its campaign, mobilising supporters and communicating its policy proposals ahead of the 2027 polls.

Yet the party’s challenge will extend beyond unveiling a secretariat and announcing ambitious policy commitments. Its ability to translate promises on security, power, agriculture, education, healthcare and access to credit into credible, costed and implementable programmes will be central to its appeal to voters.

Likewise, Lawal’s call for vigilance at polling units places electoral transparency and the conduct of supporters among the issues likely to shape the party’s campaign.

With Obi and Kwankwaso at the head of its presidential ticket, the NDC is seeking to frame the coming election as a choice between continued economic hardship and a new model of accountable, production-driven governance.

Lawal ended his address with an appeal for divine favour, expressing confidence that the party would achieve its objective of forming the next government.

“May God grant each and every one of us long life and divine favour to witness an NDC government inauguration in May 2027,” he said.