Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has promised that if elected president in 2027, he will spend his holidays in Nigeria rather than travelling abroad, saying leaders should remain present in the country and promote local tourism while tackling the challenges facing citizens.
Obi made the commitment during an exclusive interview on Arise News on Thursday, September 10, 2026, where he discussed his plans for the 2027 election, electoral integrity, insecurity, kidnappings, ransom payments and the need for stronger domestic leadership.
Speaking about the credibility of the electoral process, Obi said his campaign would prioritise ensuring that results from every polling unit are properly counted, recorded and transmitted.
“We must make sure that every polling unit, the votes are counted, the votes are recorded properly, the votes are transmitted properly. And we will have even a dual transmission, so that as it’s going to the proper designated INEC portal, it’s also being transmitted where the people can see it,” he declared.
He explained that his team would establish an independent system through which results from polling units would be transmitted directly to its situation room.
“All we are saying is that this time around, we will make sure that in every polling unit, we must have a system that transmits to our situation room the correct results.”
Obi said such a system would help prevent situations where figures announced after an election differ from the results recorded at individual polling units.
“And I’m sure there’s so many other agencies that intend to do the same thing. So we’re not going to have a situation where somebody just pronounces something that didn’t emanate from the polling unit.”
On insecurity, particularly the continued cases of kidnapping and ransom demands, Obi questioned why modern surveillance technology was not being deployed more effectively against criminals.
“In today’s world, you can know where people are,” he said.
He criticised what he described as the use of surveillance equipment to monitor political opponents instead of criminals.
“Today, the government knows where I am. All those equipments they’re using to focus on opponents. Should we focus on criminals?”
Obi said that under his administration, available surveillance resources would be redirected towards tackling insecurity rather than monitoring political opponents.
“I’m not going to follow any opponents. I don’t care where they are. I don’t care what they do. It’s not my business. I’m going to focus it where it is.”
The former Anambra State governor said the frequency of kidnappings across the country suggested that something was fundamentally wrong with the country’s security system.
“I don’t know who, but there’s something wrong. Not in today’s world. Because we’re serious. It’s happening to everybody. It’s happening every day. So, there’s something wrong.”
Obi’s position on spending holidays within Nigeria is part of his broader criticism of frequent foreign trips by political leaders. He has argued that leaders should remain connected to the realities facing citizens, particularly when the country is dealing with poverty, hunger and insecurity.
He has also encouraged leaders to spend their holidays in different parts of Nigeria, including Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Cross River, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Kebbi, Yobe and Plateau, saying such visits could promote domestic tourism, create jobs and support businesses in the hospitality and transport sectors.
Obi also clarified his earlier statement in Port Harcourt that he was “ready to die” for his vote, explaining that the comment was intended to encourage voters to defend the integrity of their votes.
“What I did in Port Harcourt was more of listening to the people. It wasn’t me talking; they were asking questions and one of them said, ‘We are prepared to die this time to defend our votes,’ and to encourage them, I said I’m prepared to die with them. It’s symbolic and what we are saying is that we are prepared to ensure that our votes count and they must count.”
The interview comes amid increased political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, including recent disruptions to Obi’s movement in Benue State.
His NDC ticket with running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso continues to campaign on credible elections, security reform, reduced cost of governance and accountable leadership, with Obi stressing the importance of leaders remaining focused on Nigeria and its challenges.
Source: Arise News
