The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has blamed years of poor leadership and mismanagement of national resources for the deterioration of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure and public institutions, including the country’s refineries.
Obi spoke at an NDC town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he argued that Nigeria’s refineries and other public assets could function effectively if managed by competent, committed, and accountable leaders.
“Somebody asked about the refinery being bad. Let me tell you, our refinery is bad because our leadership is bad. If you don’t know, know it,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor cited the collapse of the Nigeria National Shipping Line and Nigerian Airways as examples of institutions that once possessed significant assets but declined due to poor management.
Obi compared Nigeria’s experience with that of countries including the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Netherlands, saying deliberate investments in education, production, small businesses, healthcare and agriculture had helped them achieve economic growth.
He said Nigeria must urgently transition from a consumption-based economy to one driven by production, stressing that sustainable job creation would remain difficult if the country continued to rely heavily on imports.
Read Also: bayelsa-deputy-governor-warns-council-officials-against-political-infighting
Obi also pledged to prioritise healthcare, education and poverty reduction if elected president, while promising increased support for small and medium-sized enterprises through training, access to productive assets and affordable financing.
On insecurity, he said the government must address the poverty and economic hardship driving vulnerability to criminality, particularly in northern Nigeria, while creating conditions that would enable farmers to safely return to their farms.
“Insecurity in the north will be fought in two ways. First, you have to do to women insecurity. There’s poverty in Nigeria. It’s difficult to fight insecurity when there’s poverty,” he said.
Earlier, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, urged Nigerians to use the 2027 general election to bring about a change in leadership, saying the country could not afford another wrong choice.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, said the NDC had the capacity and a clear blueprint to provide quality education, employment, electricity, water, roads and other essential infrastructure.
He urged Nigerians to join the party, safeguard their Permanent Voter Cards, and support the NDC presidential ticket in the January 16, 2027 election.
In his closing remarks, the NDC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, assured supporters that his campaign would offer the state a new direction when the governorship campaign officially begins.
Lulu-Briggs thanked party members and supporters for their sacrifices, expressing confidence that the party would overcome the challenges facing the state.
“We want to assure your Excellencies that we are not afraid. Courage is not the absence of fear,” he said.
