Kwankwaso and I have failed if anyone remains in IDP camps after 18 months — Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has promised to tackle Nigeria’s displacement crisis, declaring that his administration would have failed if any Nigerian remained in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp 18 months after assuming office. Obi gave the assurance while speaking in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Wednesday, where he pledged to prioritise national unity and security if elected president in the 2027 general election.

He lamented the divisions among Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines, insisting that national unity was essential to addressing the country’s challenges. According to him, his administration would focus on uniting the country and ensuring the safety of citizens, particularly in communities affected by persistent killings and displacement. “Our commitment is to unite Nigeria because today there is no unity, we are divided along tribal lines, religious lines, and that should not be, we are Nigerians.

“Number two is to secure Nigeria. It’s our priority to ensure that Nigerians live in safety. In a place like Plateau and Benue where people are being killed daily, I assure you that no mother will cry again for her children. I assure you that no woman will feel the pain of losing a husband, neither will the father feel the pain of losing a wife,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor stressed that his administration would not tolerate a situation in which Nigerians remained displaced long after he assumed office. “I have said it, and I will repeat it that after one year to 18 months in office, if any Nigerian remains in an IDP camp, we have failed,” he declared. Obi, who said he was familiar with the security challenges confronting communities in Plateau State, cited his visits to Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi as evidence of his understanding of the plight of affected residents.

“No other presidential candidate has been to Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin Ladi, so I know the pain that people are going through,” he said. He also expressed confidence that a joint administration with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as vice-president would tackle kidnapping and insecurity across the country. “Let me assure you that with Kwankwaso and I as the president and vice president of this country, nobody will kidnap school children and go into the bush,” Obi said.