Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s capacity to govern Nigeria, saying he lacks the energy and competence required for the office and should “pack his things, go home and rest.”

Obi made the remarks on Thursday, October 29, 2026, during an NDC town hall and stakeholders’ meeting at the Citi-Hub Centre, Mile 50, in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The former Anambra State governor was reacting to Tinubu’s position that he might not be able to campaign across all 36 states ahead of the 2027 general election because of the demands of governance.

Obi Challenges Tinubu Over Campaign Plans

Obi accused the President of spending more than 260 days outside Nigeria since assuming office, questioning why he could not spare 36 days to visit the states and account to Nigerians ahead of the election.

He challenged Tinubu to visit Abakaliki and explain what his administration had achieved in the past three years, as well as how the funds borrowed by the government had been utilised.

According to Obi, Nigerians deserve to hear directly from the President about his administration’s performance and the impact of its borrowing.

He also described himself as the leading candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

Appeals Against Ethnic Politics

Obi urged residents of Ebonyi State and other parts of the South-East not to base their political decisions on ethnic or regional considerations.

He said he did not want voters to support him simply because he is from the South-East or belongs to the Igbo ethnic group, but because they considered him qualified to lead the country.

The NDC leader in Ebonyi State and former governor, Senator Samuel Egwu, reportedly assured Obi of the state's support, saying Ebonyi would vote for him “100 per cent”.

Outlines Seven-Point Emergency Agenda

Obi also outlined a seven-point emergency agenda, promising to prioritise national unity, security, corruption, education, hunger, healthcare and electricity if elected President.

On national unity, he pledged to ensure the application of the federal character principle in federal appointments and employment.

He promised to strengthen security agencies to improve the protection of lives and property, while declaring that anyone found guilty of stealing public funds would face imprisonment, including the President.

On education, Obi drew attention to Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, citing a figure of more than 18 million children.

He also promised to ensure access to functional healthcare facilities in every political ward across the country.

On the economy, the former governor criticised the government's borrowing pattern, arguing that loans should be directed towards production, investment and economic growth rather than consumption.

Obi also repeated his challenge to Tinubu during a separate town hall meeting in Enugu, where he called on the President to account for his administration's record and spending.