Peter Obi Vows to Slash Cost of Governance, Crush Oil Cartels, and Back State Police to Rescue Ailing Economy

Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has laid out an economic rescue plan centered on slashing the cost of governance and launching an uncompromising war against public corruption to halt the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis.

Speaking with AFP in Abuja as political preparations begin to take shape ahead of the 2027 general elections, Obi argued that Nigeria’s severe economic slide cannot be resolved until political officeholders abandon ostentatious spending and share in the sacrifices demanded of ordinary citizens. He maintained that trimming official excesses and eliminating bureaucratic waste would instantly liberate massive fiscal resources, allowing the government to channel funds into healthcare, basic education, and targeted poverty alleviation.

Drawing a distinct policy line on the volatile fuel pricing debate, Obi diverged from other opposition figures who have pledged to reinstate petrol subsidies. The NDC flagbearer argued that restoring subsidies is not the solution to rising transportation and energy costs. Instead, he asserted that a transparent audit and decisive crackdown on corruption, crude theft, and racketeering across the oil and gas value chain would naturally lower pump prices without draining the federal treasury.

Obi also directly linked the country’s worsening security situation to widespread economic desperation, observing that with more than 60 percent of citizens living below the poverty line, violent crime has become an attractive alternative for unemployed youths. To reverse the trend, he advocated for targeted policies to revive local manufacturing and generate productive jobs. In a notable convergence with proposals debated under the current administration, Obi backed the establishment of state police forces, stating that a decentralized policing structure is urgently required to contain banditry and protect farming communities from mass displacement.

Addressing political observers who claim that a divided opposition field will merely split the anti-incumbency vote, Obi dismissed the suggestion that his candidacy would act as a spoiler. He pointed out that with national voter turnout hovering at just 27 percent in the previous general election, tens of millions of registered voters have stayed away from the ballot box, leaving a massive pool of untapped citizens who are ready to vote for genuine change.

However, Obi sounded a warning regarding pre-election security, pointing to the hostile blockade mounted against his convoy along Gboko Road in Benue State as a troubling omen. He stressed that democracy cannot deliver progress if state institutions tolerate political thuggery and the intimidation of opposition figures, urging security agencies to ensure a level playing field for all contenders.