Former Anambra State governor and presidential aspirant, Peter Obi, on Tuesday dismissed growing claims that he had secured an automatic presidential ticket in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that the party’s process remained open, transparent and democratic.
Obi spoke after undergoing a screening exercise conducted by the NDC at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, where members of the screening committee reportedly grilled him for over two hours ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.
The screening panel was chaired by former Ebonyi State governor, Sam Egwu.
Addressing journalists shortly after the exercise, Obi rejected speculations that he had emerged as the party’s consensus candidate, stressing that every aspirant had equal opportunity to contest.
“How can it be based on consensus? The party opened up the expression of interest forms for people to buy. I bought the form. As the party said, I’m the only one who expressed interest. That’s it,” he said.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate commended the NDC leadership for conducting what he described as a credible screening process, noting that internal democracy remained vital to nation-building.
“At NDC, we are choosing to do things properly. When we say there is going to be a screening, there is going to be a screening. That is democracy in action,” Obi stated.
He also downplayed speculations over the possible entry of former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2027 presidential race, saying his focus remained on addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, economic hardship and governance challenges.
“Democracy is about people offering themselves for service and being voted for. I’m not in any way going around looking for who is contesting. I’m concentrating on how to build a better Nigeria,” he said.
Obi said his vision for Nigeria centred on national unity, economic recovery, security and people-oriented governance, lamenting the growing hardship and fear across the country.
“We want to see a country where mothers no longer fear when their children go to school. We want Nigerians to travel all over the country without fear,” he added.
The former governor further decried rising poverty and hunger, insisting that public resources must be used to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians rather than enrich a privileged few.
“So many Nigerians go to bed not knowing where the next meal will come from. That must change. We must stop turning public assets into private wealth,” Obi declared.
