The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has described Seyi Makinde, his counterpart on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), as qualified to become Nigeria’s president.
Obi made the remark on Monday in Abuja during the unveiling of Makinde’s presidential campaign office ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigerians should have the freedom to choose their preferred candidate, while calling on opposition parties to set aside their political differences and work together to “rescue Nigeria”.
“A Nigeria of unity and inclusion. We have a candidate who is contesting the presidency today: my dear brother Seyi Makinde. Is he qualified to be president? Yes,” Obi said.
He said his support for the democratic process was not driven by desperation, adding that whoever Nigerians choose should receive the cooperation of others to build a better country.
“What we are doing today is to show you that, for us, we don’t have desperation. We want the people of Nigeria to make their choice. Whoever they choose, all of us will come together to build a new Nigeria.
“We can’t all continue the way we are going today. Our people are hungry. Our people are poor. Our people are insecure. Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair and credible election, we all want to work together to save this country from collapse.”
Obi also urged Nigeria’s political leaders to move beyond political confrontation and concentrate on addressing the challenges affecting citizens.
“We don’t want politics of quarrel, politics of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty,” he said.
He further called for a Nigeria where citizens can achieve their ambitions regardless of their background or personal connections.
“We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody. That’s what we want. And all of us will work as a family. And I assure you that we remain united in our rescue for our dear country, Nigeria,” he added.
Makinde and Obi are among opposition politicians seeking the presidency in the 2027 election.
Makinde is running on the APM platform, while Obi is the NDC’s presidential candidate. Atiku Abubakar is the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).