Former Anambra governor Peter Obi was on Saturday, May 30, 2026, formally nominated as the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Coalition, NDC, with a pledge to “mend Nigeria’s broken foundations” through unity, security reform, and massive investment in health, education and power.
Accepting the nomination at the party’s special convention in Abuja, Obi told delegates that his candidacy was “not about the ambitions of Peter Obi, but about the essence of our nation and the future of our children.”
“It is with deep humility that I accept the role of presidential candidate for our party,” he said. “I wish to assert unequivocally: a New Nigeria is Possible. This conviction has united us; it must serve as our compass on the challenging road ahead.”
—Unity first, then security–
Obi framed unity as the starting point for national recovery, warning that Nigeria “cannot advance while fragmented by ethnic, religious, regional, or narrow political divides.”
“A united Nigeria is indispensable,” he said, quoting historian Will Durant: “A great civilisation is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within. We must never self-destruct. We must heal, unify, and progress together.”
On insecurity, Obi cited global rankings that now place Nigeria 4th worldwide on terrorism impact in 2026, up from 8th in 2022. He promised an “intelligence-driven, technology-enhanced, proactive, and community-focused” security strategy, adding: “Farmers must return to their fields securely; students must learn without fear; investors must regain confidence in Nigeria.”
—Health, education, power targets—
The NDC flag bearer laid out measurable 4-year targets across key sectors:
1. Healthcare: Raise health budget to minimum 10% of GDP, up from below 5%. Double health insurance coverage to over 20%. Deliver a functional primary healthcare centre in all 8,809 wards, with 50% of Nigeria’s 30,000 PHCs fully operational by 2030.
2. Education: Shift Nigeria “from a cycle of shared poverty to one of collective prosperity” through sustained investment in schools, teachers, technology and vocational training.
3. Agriculture & hunger: Tackle food insecurity affecting 35 million Nigerians by converting uncultivated northern lands into productive assets. “Transitioning our nation from consumption to production is the sole dependable strategy,” he said.
4. Power: Increase electricity generation and distribution by minimum 10,000MW in 4 years. Nigeria currently generates ∼4,000MW for 200m+ people, while South Africa and Egypt each exceed 40,000MW with smaller populations.
5. Jobs: Attack over 40% youth unemployment by supporting MSMEs with tax incentives, special interest rates and accessible funding in agriculture, manufacturing, entertainment, sports and distribution.
–Corruption, rule of law, democracy–
Obi promised “tangible and verifiable reduction in corruption and governance costs,” with public resources managed under “absolute transparency, prudence, and accountability.”
“The rule of law will be fiercely upheld… Our democracy will exemplify true governance of the people, by the people, and for the people, completely free from interference by the ruling party,” he declared.
—NDC leaders rally behind him—
National Chairman, Senator Seriake Dickson, National Secretary and NWC members received Obi’s acceptance alongside thousands of delegates from across the country.
Obi closed with a call to hope: “Today, our nation finds itself at a crucial juncture, enveloped in uncertainty… Yet I stand before you filled with optimism and strong faith in the resilience of our people, for I firmly believe that a New Nigeria is possible.”
May God bless you all, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said.
