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Join for News Updates ✕Presidential Election 2027: Why the NDC Needs to Restrain Obi from Unfiltered Interviews
Tags: 2027 Election NDC, Afia TV, Campaign Strategy, Election Analysis, Nigerian Politics, Opposition, Peter Obi, Politics, Presidential Election
By Elempe Dele
Obi: “I’d have gone into the forest to rescue abducted Oyo pupils, teachers if I were president”
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, says he would have personally gone into the forest where pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo State, were held if he were president.
This was reported by _TheCable_ on its Facebook page yesterday.
Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Afia TV, Obi said leadership is essential to tackling insecurity, insisting that he would not have waited for weeks before taking action if the abduction had occurred under his watch.
https://voxnews.com.ng/on-peter-obi-and-the-2027-campaign-path/
A Party That Needs Message Discipline
In my opinion, the NDC leadership ought to have a frank, strategic meeting to rein in Peter Obi from granting a string of unfiltered interviews across television stations.
It has been one misstep after another, and the pattern is becoming too frequent for comfort. A review of comment sections shows visible frustration among the disenchanted youth who voted for him in 2023 across party and ethnic lines.
In this recent Afia TV interview, Obi positioned himself as the proverbial hunter ready to enter the forest as president to rescue kidnap victims. The courage is noted. But there are still kidnap victims in Sokoto, Benue, Katsina, Zamfara and Borno. If the statement is more than content creation, consistency would demand similar resolve across all affected states.
The Presidency Is Not a PR Stunt
The NDC cannot afford to be perceived as an unserious party with a presidential candidate engaged in populist optics. A presidential election where billions will be spent, energy expended, and emotions heightened is serious business.
Obi cannot continue to be seen serving food at occasions, carrying passengers’ bags, controlling traffic, receiving advice in public from madman, cleaning toilets, or cutting grass as campaign talking points. These acts, while relatable, do not in any way project presidential capacity or policy depth.
At the moment, one wonders what is going through the minds of other NDC stakeholders like Rabiu Kwankwaso and Seriake Dickson. Have they made mistakes even when some feel Kwankwanso is using Obi’s popularity to prepare himself for 2031? Little is heard from them as the presidential candidate appears to be on a trail of avoidable gaffes.
Desperation Must Be Managed
Every candidate is desperate, but desperation must be managed. Donald Trump is not personally flying jets to confront Iran. Nigerians will not be persuaded by the rhetoric of a president entering forests alone or with security agents to rescue victims. That reduces a serious security challenge to a simplistic narrative.
If Obi believes in leading from the front, IPOB/ESN-related abductions also deserve attention. Charity, they say, begins at home. As a Nigerian citizen, he does not need to be president to participate in rescue advocacy or support victims’ families. Our forests remain dangerous.
Nigerians are literate enough to separate political theater from serious governance. If Obi is exhausted from engagements, he needs rest or a competent communications team to manage media appearances. He is not the only presidential candidate in the race. Atiku and Tinubu are also contesting, and they are not dominating the news cycle with gaffes.
The Erosion of the Base
In 2023, the Obidient movement was active online, vigorously defending Obi against any criticism. Today, that energy has cooled considerably. As they say locally, _”he dey fall their hands.”_
How does one defend a candidate who, when asked if he built a new school, responds that he cut grass?
How does one defend the comment about receiving advice from a “madman”?
How does one reconcile saying he would generate 10,000 megawatts in four years, then the next week saying 24-hour power is impossible within the same period?
How does one explain agreeing to a one-term presidency when the Constitution allows two terms?
Conclusion
What Obi appears to be doing is latching onto every national incident in an attempt to either criticize government or push a populist agenda. But the strategy is not yielding results. It is isolating his base and exposing him to attacks from political opponents.
If the NDC is serious about 2027, it must urgently impose message discipline. The candidate needs structure, policy clarity, and a communications team that can convert public sympathy into votes — not more viral clips.