The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has vowed to pursue a united and secure Nigeria, with poverty reduction and job creation at the centre of his administration’s priorities if elected in 2027.
Obi stated this after he and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, ahead of their town-hall engagements in Sokoto State.
During the meeting, Obi said the Sultan identified **security, poverty and employment** as three critical issues demanding urgent attention in Nigeria.
The former Anambra State governor said the Sultan also reminded political leaders that leadership was a responsibility entrusted by Almighty Allah and that those entrusted with power would ultimately be held accountable.
Obi said the Sultan’s message reinforced the need for leaders to put national interest above ethnic, religious and sectional considerations.
According to him, the Sultan stressed that Nigeria’s diversity of tribes, languages and faiths was part of God’s creation and should unite rather than divide the country.
Obi said his political platform was committed to building a Nigeria where citizens, irrespective of religion or ethnic background, could live safely, work and prosper.
“We do not seek to Islamise or Christianise anyone. We seek to build a Nigeria where every citizen can live safely, prosper, and have a genuine sense of belonging,” Obi said.
The visit also gave the delegation an opportunity to condole with the Sultan over the recent death of the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Obi disclosed that the Sultan recalled knowing him for almost 46 years, dating back to 1980 when he was a first-year student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The NDC candidate said he was encouraged by the Sultan’s emphasis on accountability, national unity and the need to confront the problems of insecurity, poverty and unemployment.
Obi and Kwankwaso were in Sokoto for town-hall engagements as part of their wider political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
Obi ended his message with the campaign slogan of his political movement: **“A New Nigeria is POssible.”**