Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has vowed not to spend his holidays outside Nigeria if elected president in the 2027 general election.
Obi made the pledge in his Independence Day address on Thursday, saying he would use his four-year tenure to travel across the country, interact with Nigerians and gain firsthand understanding of their challenges.
He said his holidays would be spent visiting states including Zamfara, Borno, Kwara, Ebonyi, Edo and Ekiti.
“In four years as President of this great nation, I will not spend my holidays outside Nigeria. My holidays will be spent in Zamfara State; Borno State; Kwara State; Ebonyi State; Edo State; Ekiti State and other Nigerian States,” Obi said.
“I want to continue to see Nigeria. I want to know Nigeria. I want to spend time with Nigerians, listen to them, understand their challenges and celebrate their resilience.”
The former Anambra State governor also promised to make governance measurable and accountable, with the welfare and productivity of Nigerians at the centre of his administration.
Obi said his government would confront insecurity decisively to enable farmers to return to their farms, children to return to school and businesses to operate without fear.
“No Nigerian should be forced to live in an IDP camp because his or her government has failed to provide security,” he said.
The NDC candidate criticised the APC-led administration, arguing that Nigeria continued to grapple with poverty, insecurity, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and a large population of out-of-school children despite the promises made in 2023.
According to him, Nigeria’s major challenge is not a lack of resources but the failure of successive governments to convert the country’s resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.
Obi linked his remarks to his recent visit to the Ramin Kura Internally Displaced Persons camp in Sokoto State, where he said he encountered displaced women and children living in difficult conditions.
The former governor said the visit reinforced his view that Nigerians should not be forced to remain displaced within their own country.
He also recalled his consultations in Sokoto with his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, where they discussed insecurity, poverty, unemployment, drug abuse and out-of-school children.
Obi had previously made his position on presidential holidays known during a September town hall meeting in Kaduna.
He said he would spend his holidays in states confronting security challenges rather than travelling abroad, listing Zamfara, Borno, Kano, Oyo and Ondo among possible destinations.
During an earlier interview, Obi also argued that presidents should use holiday periods to spend time in communities affected by insecurity and developmental challenges.
The pledge comes as Obi and Kwankwaso intensify their political engagements ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The NDC formally ratified Obi as its presidential candidate in May, after which he nominated Kwankwaso as his running mate.
