Peter Obi: The North Will Celebrate Me If I Become President

Peter Obi, 2027 presidential hopeful and former Labour Party candidate in the 2023 elections, has declared that the northern region of Nigeria would celebrate his presidency if elected.

Obi, who is now a prominent figure in a new opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made this assertion during an appearance on Sunday Politics, a programme on Channels Television.

Speaking on the underdevelopment of the North despite its immense potential, Obi emphasized that the region’s vast arable land and strong voter base remain untapped due to years of insecurity and misgovernance.

“We have voted for incompetence, we’ve voted for tribe, we’ve voted for religion—let’s vote for competence,” Obi said. “The biggest asset of this country is in the north—the uncultivated lands in the north. The criminality we face in the north today, I will deal with it.”

He expressed confidence that his leadership would bring transformative change to the region. “If I am president, the North will celebrate me. I have an idea of the problem,” he added.

Obi’s comments come amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with growing calls for leadership rooted in merit, security, and national development.