The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has vowed not to spend his holidays outside Nigeria if elected president in the 2027 general elections.

Obi made the pledge in his Independence Day address delivered in Abuja on Thursday, saying he would use his four-year tenure to travel across the country, interact with Nigerians and better understand their challenges.

“As I have always done, I will lead by example. In four years as president of this great nation, I will not spend my holidays outside Nigeria. My holidays will be spent in Zamfara, Borno, Kwara, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti and other Nigerian states.

“I want to continue to see Nigeria. I want to know Nigeria. I want to spend time with Nigerians, listen to them, understand their challenges and celebrate their resilience,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor also promised that his administration would make governance measurable and accountable, with emphasis on the welfare and productivity of Nigerians.

“As President of Nigeria, I will make governance measurable, accountable and centred on the welfare and productivity of our people. Within the first year, Nigerians will begin to see the tangible impact of purposeful and effective leadership,” Obi said.

He also pledged to tackle insecurity, saying farmers would be able to return to their farms, children would return to school and businesses would operate without fear.

“We will confront insecurity decisively so that our farmers can return to their farms, our children can return to school, businesses can operate freely, and families can live without fear.

“No Nigerian should be forced to live in an IDP camp because his or her government has failed to provide security,” he said.

Obi, who said Independence anniversaries should provide an opportunity for national reflection, criticised the All Progressives Congress-led administration over what he described as persistent challenges facing the country since 2023.

He cited poverty, the number of out-of-school children and insecurity linked to terrorism, banditry and kidnapping among the issues confronting Nigerians.

“Despite the enormous promises made by the APC-led government in 2023, our nation continues to face deepening challenges across virtually every critical sector of national life,” he said.

According to Obi, Nigeria’s major challenge was not a lack of resources but the failure of successive governments to convert those resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.

The NDC presidential candidate also recounted his recent visit to Sokoto State with his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, where they held consultations on insecurity, poverty, unemployment, drug abuse and out-of-school children.

He said their visit to an internally displaced persons camp in Ramin Kura, within Sokoto metropolis, exposed the hardship faced by displaced women and children.

“Instead, they live as displaced persons in their own country. What we saw in Ramin Kura is not an isolated story. It is a reflection of the suffering experienced, in different forms, across many parts of Nigeria.

“And yet, while ordinary Nigerians struggle with these realities, this present government often behaves as though these problems belong to another country.

“The political leaders have failed our country and, most importantly, we have failed our children. This must change,” Obi said.

The pledge comes a month after Obi criticised the practice of past and current presidents spending their holidays abroad, saying an elected president should remain in Nigeria and use such periods to engage directly with citizens.

The former Anambra governor said he would prioritise domestic vacations for the president if elected, arguing that the country’s leader should use the opportunity to visit areas facing serious security and developmental challenges.

“Nigeria’s president must spend his vacation in Nigeria. We cannot continue with this nonsense. Where do other countries’ own send their vacation?

“The President should go to Zamfara, to Borno, to Anambra, to anywhere. As President of Nigeria, I will visit other countries, but I will not take my holidays there,” he said.

When asked about the security implications of spending vacation time in states affected by insurgency and banditry, particularly Borno, Obi maintained that security concerns should not prevent the President from remaining in Nigeria during holidays.

He also compared the conduct of Nigerian political leaders with that of leaders in other countries, arguing that the Nigerian president should maintain a strong connection with the country and its people.