By: Odeh Favour Adiya
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has officially unveiled his policy roadmap aimed at steering the nation away from economic decline and towards sustainable development, declaring that a new Nigeria remains highly achievable.
In a statement shared via his social media handles, the former Anambra State governor recalled his initial commitment when he first stepped into the presidential race. He re-emphasized his dedication to pulling the country out of its current doldrums and placing it firmly on the path of economic self-reliance.
According to the statement, Obi promised to roll out detailed insights of his blueprint in the coming months. He wrote: “Today, being the 1st of July, 2026, I wish to humbly recall that when I decided to contest for the office of President of Nigeria, I pledged to place Nigeria on the path of unity and national transformation.
Now, as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, I will, in the coming weeks and months, provide insights into the roadmap that I am confident will help curb abuse in government, halt the decline in the quality of life of Nigerians at all levels, and usher in an era of unity, peace, sustained progress, and prosperity.”
The NDC standard-bearer explained that his administration’s core philosophy would revolve around institutional fairness and human empowerment.
He stated: “This vision is anchored on a commitment to unity, inclusion, social justice, equity, and the freedom of every citizen to pursue lawful dreams.”
Identifying the foundational pillars of his development strategy, Obi placed a premium on intellectual and health capital, noting that no nation can progress without investing heavily in its people.
According to him: “Central to this proposed roadmap are significant reforms in education and healthcare, which are at the core of human capital development. Robust human capital is indispensable infrastructure for national progress. It serves as the fundamental capital upon which daily life, economic expansion, and the delivery of essential public services depend. These are foundational areas that we must reform with energy and determination if we are to reap the demographic dividend of our youthful population.”
Addressing specific educational and economic crises facing the country, the frontline politician promised to hit the ground running from day one of his administration. He vowed to tackle the alarming rate of out-of-school children and radically restructure technical education to align with industrial needs.
He said: “From the outset of my presidency, we will establish a task force dedicated to drastically reducing the menace of out-of-school children. We will place greater emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to support our drive for massive industrialisation, anchored on our agricultural endowments and value addition across value chains organised around industrial parks to be located in development zones across the geopolitical regions of the country.”
To achieve this, Obi stated that his government would look towards globally tested educational frameworks, fostering a deep synergy between the public sector, faith-based institutions, and private enterprises. He wrote: “Funding and improving the equipment of TVET institutions, through partnerships among government, the private sector, and social entrepreneurs such as faith-based educators, will facilitate apprenticeship opportunities in the private sector, similar to the German dual education system.”
Lamenting the continuous capital and brain drain that has forced many local businesses to relocate outside the shores of Nigeria, the candidate stressed that the narrative must change to boost internal production capacity.
“The situation in which unemployment remains high while Nigerian entrepreneurs establish businesses elsewhere because skilled labour is scarce must be confronted decisively. Doing so is essential for the common good and for facilitating our transition from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one,” Obi stated.
Concluding his declaration, the NDC candidate emphasized that national rebirth must go hand-in-hand with moral and civic re-engineering to build long-lasting institutional trust across the country.
He affirmed: “Character and civic education, emphasising the values that foster trust – an essential ingredient for enterprise and leadership – as well as shared national values, will receive significant attention within the tripartite approach to governance that we propose. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO”
