2027: Kwankwaso pledges jobs, security, education as Obi misses Plateau meeting

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged that a government led by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would prioritise security, education, agriculture and job creation if elected in 2027.

Mr Kwankwaso made the pledge on Friday at a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Jos, Plateau State, where he described the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket as a platform for national unity.

Mr Obi was absent from the meeting, which brought together party leaders, supporters, civil society groups and journalists.

Mr Kwankwaso said Mr Obi called him earlier on Friday to explain that circumstances beyond his control had prevented him from travelling to Plateau State.

According to him, Mr Obi asked him to assure Plateau residents of the ticket’s commitment to the state and promised that both candidates would return for another engagement.

“His Excellency Peter Obi told me to inform you that, together, we are 100 per cent with the good people of Plateau State,” Mr Kwankwaso said.

He added that the candidates had agreed to harmonise their visions for Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.

“This ticket is a ticket of unity — unity in Plateau, unity in Northern Nigeria, unity in Southern Nigeria, and unity in Nigeria,” he said.

The former Kano State governor and minister of defence identified insecurity, poverty, hunger, unemployment and the decline of industries as some of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges.

He criticised what he described as the apparent indifference of political leaders to recurring killings across the country, whether arising from banditry, insurgency or communal violence.

“You wake up and 20 people, 100 people or even more are killed like chickens, and nobody cares,” he said. “Human beings are human beings. We have to have caring leaders in this country.”

Mr Kwankwaso argued that any administration unable to protect citizens and uphold their dignity should not be rewarded with another term.

Mr Kwankwaso pledged that an Obi-led administration would expand access to education, particularly in northern Nigeria.

Citing his record as governor of Kano State, he said his administration provided opportunities for school-age children to attend primary school and enabled qualified pupils to proceed to secondary and tertiary institutions.

He called for the extension of similar opportunities across the country, including Plateau State, which he described as sharing cultural and demographic similarities with Kano.

Mr Kwankwaso said the decline of industries and factories had deprived many communities, including those in Plateau, of employment opportunities, leaving many young people without reliable sources of livelihood.

He said the proposed administration would focus on reviving agriculture, supporting farmers and creating jobs for young Nigerians.

“The shoes we had in the past are gone, and nobody cares,” he said, referring to the decline of local manufacturing.

He did not provide specific targets for job creation or details of how the proposed administration would finance the promised programmes.

Mr Kwankwaso urged Plateau residents to support the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket on the NDC platform in the 2027 presidential election and ensure that their votes were protected.

“You have to start and protect those votes. You have done it before; try to do it again,” he said, referring to the political support the state gave Mr Obi in the 2023 presidential election.

He thanked the Middle Belt Forum, party supporters and journalists for attending the meeting, adding that the party’s leadership in Plateau would be contacted to arrange another visit by both candidates.

The Jos meeting comes amid continuing efforts by opposition politicians to build an alliance ahead of the 2027 general election.

Mr Kwankwaso has previously rejected calls to step aside for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or another opposition platform, underscoring disagreements over the choice of a common presidential candidate.

The differences have raised questions about the prospects of opposition unity ahead of the election, despite discussions among political figures on the need to coordinate their efforts against the ruling party.