Peter Obi, former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has declared his intention to run in the 2027 presidential race, saying he will not be intimidated by the large number of governors in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Obi said several coordinated attempts have been made to discourage him from entering the race, but stressed that he remains resolute.
Speaking to supporters in Njikoka, Anambra State, on Friday, the former governor said Nigeria has collapsed and urgently needs rebuilding.
He explained that his ambition is not driven by a personal quest for power but by his desire to see a country that functions effectively.
“Nigeria has collapsed and is already lying on the ground. Nigeria is not working because many wealthy Nigerians are hungry and greedy. They have everything they need, yet they continue scrambling for more.
“This is an empowerment programme, yet you will be surprised that many well-to-do individuals come here to compete for things they do not need. Visit their homes and you will see vehicles better than those they are struggling for.
“This country is unfair to the poor. That is why we are working to become president. We want a nation where the son of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody.
“I have always said that I am not desperate to become President of Nigeria, but I am desperate to see a Nigeria that works.
“You all know I am now in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Many people asked why I left the Labour Party. I told them we had been in court over the party’s leadership and secured favourable judgments, but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to recognise us.
“But when I left on December 31, they suddenly recognised the same court orders they had ignored.
“You see all the things they have been tinkering with in the constitution. Some of them are because they do not want me to contest. But I want to tell them that with their 30 governors, they should conduct a free and fair election and see who wins.
“I want to announce to you all that no matter what they do, I will contest the election. Let them make the contest free and fair, bring the ball to the centre of the field, and let the match begin. Then we will see what happens,” Obi said.
