The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has unveiled his governance agenda for the 2027 election, pledging to prioritise national unity, security, economic productivity and accountable leadership if elected.

Obi presented the agenda on Tuesday, November 10, during a town hall meeting with supporters and other Nigerians in Jos, Plateau State, where he said his approach to leadership would be based on listening to citizens and responding to their needs.

He described national unity as his foremost priority, saying Nigeria’s divisions along ethnic and religious lines were undermining the country’s progress.

“Our number one commitment is to unite the Federal Republic of Nigeria because today we have no unity. We are divided along tribal and religious lines. That should not be. We are Nigerians,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor identified insecurity as the second major priority, arguing that protecting lives and property was a fundamental responsibility of government.

He pledged to strengthen the country’s security architecture and tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes, while ensuring that displaced Nigerians could return safely to their communities.

Obi also said the continued existence of internally displaced persons’ camps would represent a failure of leadership, insisting that citizens should not be forced to abandon their homes because of insecurity.

He recalled visits to conflict-affected communities in Plateau State, including Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu, saying the experiences had reinforced his determination to address the security crisis.

On the economy, Obi promised to move Nigeria away from a consumption-driven model towards one centred on production, arguing that increased local production would create jobs, expand business opportunities and reduce poverty.

He linked economic development to improved security, saying farmers could not work effectively while facing attacks and businesses could not thrive in communities affected by violence.

The NDC candidate also pledged to expand access to credit for small businesses, saying his experience in the financial sector had given him an understanding of the challenges entrepreneurs face in obtaining funding.

He said his administration would ensure that a portion of available credit in the banking sector was accessible to small businesses to support expansion and employment generation.

On corruption, Obi promised that public resources would be used for the benefit of citizens, describing accountability as a central principle of his proposed administration.

“I will fight corruption. Public money must be used for public good,” he said.

Education and healthcare also featured prominently in the agenda. Obi expressed concern over the number of Nigerian children outside the classroom and promised to invest in school infrastructure, recruit teachers and improve the functioning of public schools.

He further pledged to strengthen primary healthcare centres and improve access to medical services across communities, particularly for pregnant women and children.

The former governor said government must demonstrate compassion by prioritising vulnerable Nigerians, including poor households, elderly citizens and persons living with disabilities.

Obi explained that the town hall meetings were intended to give citizens an opportunity to express their concerns and influence the priorities of a future administration.

“When you want to serve, you must listen to the people. When we come for campaigns, we only talk and we don’t listen to the people. We have decided that leadership must be demand-driven,” he said.

The Jos engagement is part of Obi’s consultations across the country ahead of the 2027 general election. He has used previous meetings to outline proposals on electricity, education, healthcare, security and public spending.

At a town hall meeting in Enugu on October 29, he pledged to increase electricity generation, transmission and distribution to at least 10,000 megawatts if elected. He also promised to declare emergencies in education and the fight against corruption.

His latest presentation adds national unity and the safe return of displaced people to the centre of his campaign message.

However, the agenda remains a set of campaign commitments. Its implementation would depend on the policies, legislation, funding and institutional reforms required to translate the promises into measurable outcomes.

Obi urged Nigerians to take an active role in protecting their votes during the 2027 election, saying voters should remain at polling units until their votes had been counted, recorded and transmitted.

The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, according to the electoral timetable reported by Nigerian media.