Former Anambra State governor and National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi addressed editors at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu State on Saturday, urging the media to steer politicians toward issue‑based campaigns as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Obi said he was not formally invited to the conference but attended because “wherever people gather to discuss issues concerning the country, politicians would naturally want to be there.” He emphasized that the gathering was not a campaign platform, noting that he was there only to speak on democracy, governance and development, in line with the conference theme “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”
Calling on editors to hold politicians accountable, Obi urged the press to challenge name‑calling, personal attacks and other distractions, and to demand free, fair and credible elections. He cited his tenure as Anambra governor, when he allowed political opponents – including former Lagos governor Babatunde Fashola, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu – to campaign freely in the state.
Obi dismissed reports of a rift with current Anambra governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, describing Soludo as a “respected elder brother” and affirming a close relationship. He also defended his fiscal record, stating he left the state with $150 million in savings and urging journalists to question politicians directly about their backgrounds, qualifications and claims.
“We must, you people must help us. It’s your country. Help us to stop the abuse, or it will take its revenge on your children,” Obi warned, adding that Nigeria’s major challenges – especially in healthcare – stem from misallocation of resources rather than a lack of them.
On the contentious fuel‑subsidy issue, Obi clarified that former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso had not called for outright removal but for a new subsidy regime. He argued that corruption has rendered the current system unsustainable, suggesting that eliminating corruption could make subsidies unnecessary.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
