The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has decried the worsening economic hardship across Nigeria, warning that millions of citizens are being pushed into extreme poverty daily due to insensitive government policies.
Speaking on Sunday, October 18, 2026, during an emergency economic town hall hosted at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, Obi expressed deep concern over the severe decline in living standards across the six geopolitical zones.
The former governor of Anambra State lamented that basic necessity, ranging from nutritious food to lifesaving healthcare, has now become an unaffordable luxury for ordinary households.
”It is unacceptable that millions of hardworking Nigerians are waking up every day without guaranteed meals, access to basic medications, or the means to educate their children,” Obi declared. “Our country cannot achieve peace or security when a vast majority of its citizens are burdened by poverty and economic despair. We must shift our focus from mere political rhetoric to productive economic policies.”
Reiterating his core economic vision, the NDC standard-bearer emphasized that Nigeria’s path out of economic distress relies on transforming the nation from a consumption-driven society into a production-centered economy.
He urged the Federal Government to prioritise investments in agriculture, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), human capital development, and critical infrastructure to stem the tide of inflation and unemployment.
In a official statement released shortly after the gathering, the Chief Spokesperson for the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, reiterated the candidate’s call for immediate, structured interventions to cushion the effects of inflation on vulnerable populations.
”Mr. Peter Obi’s message remains clear and consistent: leadership must be accountable to the welfare of its people,” Tanko stated. “The current socio-economic indicators are alarming, and without pragmatic interventions in agriculture and local production, the burden on everyday families will continue to multiply. The NDC offers a workable blueprint that prioritises human capital over wasteful expenditure.”
The event drew delegates, civil society leaders, and party supporters, underscoring growing public agitation over economic conditions as political stakeholders align ahead of the 2027 general elections.
