Peter Obi has urged Nigerian editors to demand issue-based campaigns, equal political space and peaceful elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerian editors to insist on issue-based campaigns by political candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the call on Friday, September 25, 2026, during the second day of the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu, where he also urged the media to scrutinise the records and antecedents of political candidates.
The conference, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), is themed “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” with a sub-theme focused on detecting and debunking AI-driven disinformation before, during and after elections. More than 500 editors and other stakeholders are attending the two-day event.
Obi said editors had a responsibility to ensure that politicians speak directly to citizens about their plans and policies rather than relying on proxies or personality-driven campaigns.
He also called for a level playing field for all candidates and political parties, arguing that restrictions on the ability of any participant to campaign undermine democratic principles.
According to him, Nigeria needs a peaceful and conducive political environment ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We need a conducive environment to make the country work,” Obi said.
The NDC candidate also urged journalists to conduct due diligence on the backgrounds and records of candidates, saying the character and conduct of political leaders have implications for the country they govern.
He further encouraged elected officials to prioritise projects that respond to the immediate needs of citizens rather than programmes targeted primarily at elites.
Obi also addressed the controversy surrounding the financial obligations associated with projects implemented during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
He maintained that he did not leave the state with unpaid salaries, pensions, gratuities or verified obligations to contractors and suppliers when he left office in March 2014. Recent reports show that the dispute centres partly on external development-financing facilities linked to projects undertaken during his administration.
Obi has argued that several of the facilities were World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) programmes negotiated by the Federal Government and accessed by participating states through subsidiary arrangements, rather than conventional commercial loans personally obtained by him.
He also dismissed suggestions of a personal disagreement with his successor, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying he respects the office of the governor and other public offices.
“I can’t abuse any person. I don’t have reasons to do so. I give anybody his dues,” he said.
Obi urged editors to maintain professional diligence as the country approaches another election cycle, stressing the importance of holding political actors accountable while providing citizens with information needed to assess candidates and their programmes.
His call comes amid broader discussions at the ANEC on electoral credibility, media responsibility, public trust and the growing challenge of misinformation in Nigeria’s 2027 electoral process.
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