Obi to Nigerians: Our Choice is Clear—Rescue the Nation or Surrender to Decline

ABUJA — Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a stirring call to action, urging Nigerians to choose between national rescue and a permanent state of decline. Speaking at the maiden National Convention of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Abuja on May 9, Obi described the country as standing at a “dangerous crossroads” under the weight of systemic failure and leadership betrayal.

​The convention, which saw the NDC zone its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, served as a platform for Obi to address the nation’s deteriorating socio-economic indicators. Flanked by party leaders, including the distinguished Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, Obi emphasized that the resilience of the Nigerian spirit remains the only buffer against total state collapse.

​A Democracy Under Siege

​Reflecting on the current political climate, Obi lamented the “systematic assault” on the will of the people. He criticized former advocates of justice who have now become “willing accessories” to the destruction of democratic institutions.

​”Those who once spoke against impunity now defend coercion, manipulation, and outright political gangsterism,” Obi stated. “What we are witnessing is not politics; it is a direct attack on the soul of our nation.”

​The Numbers of Despair

​Obi’s address highlighted the staggering human cost of Nigeria’s current trajectory, supported by recent economic outlooks:

• ​Poverty: Over 140 million Nigerians—approximately 63% of the population—are now living in multidimensional poverty, according to 2026 projections from PwC and the World Bank.

• ​Economic Strain: Inflation continues to decimate household purchasing power, with food insecurity now threatening over 33 million citizens.

• ​Insecurity: In just the last month, hundreds have been killed or displaced, while farmers in the country’s agricultural heartlands are increasingly unable to access their land.

​”Nigeria is not a poor country,” Obi argued, “rather, we are being looted into poverty. Leadership has failed to place the common good above personal interest.”

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​A New Political Alignment

​The former Labour Party standard-bearer expressed deep gratitude to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Senator David Mark for providing a platform when litigation forced him out of previous political structures. However, his move to the NDC, led by Senator Dickson, signals a strategic realignment of opposition forces.

​The convention ratified the Senator Cleopas Moses-led protem leadership and underscored a commitment to a “productive Nigeria.” Obi specifically pointed to the untapped agricultural potential of Northern Nigeria as a linchpin for industrial growth, advocating for a decisive shift from a “nation of consumption to a nation of production.”

​The Path Forward

​In his closing remarks, Obi reiterated that national unity is no longer a luxury but a “national necessity.” He called for a government built on competence, equity, and justice—one that views the youth not as a problem to be managed, but as an asset to be empowered.

​”I remain convinced that a new Nigeria is possible,” Obi concluded. “Let us move forward with courage and a collective resolve to recover the soul of our nation.”