As the presidential candidates of the major political parties commence electioneering, they are confronted with numerous issues that will shape the choice of the electorate regarding which candidate to vote for in the 2027 presidency
By Udoka Ekeleme, Abuja
As the campaigns for the 2027 general elections take off, former Kano State Governor and running mate of Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has officially flagged off the presidential campaign for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), declaring that the Peter Obi-Kwankwaso ticket is the definitive solution to Nigeria’s pressing economic and security challenges.
During a national broadcast marking the commencement of their 2027 campaign last week, Kwankwaso urged citizens to reflect deeply on the current state of the nation. Framing the upcoming election as a critical crossroads, he highlighted the severe economic realities currently facing Nigerian households.
Kwankwaso said, “Our people are facing a difficult economic reality. The rising cost of food and essential goods has placed enormous pressure on families,” Kwankwaso stated, pointing to the high inflation that has characterized the current economic landscape.
He further lamented the plight of millions of young Nigerians searching for meaningful employment, alongside business owners struggling to keep their doors open amid high operating costs and fiscal uncertainty.
The campaign launch has officially solidified one of the most talked-about political alliances in recent Nigerian history. Following a high-profile departure from previous platforms, Obi was officially ratified as the presidential candidate of the NDC on May 29, 2026. On that same day, Kwankwaso was unveiled and ratified as his running mate, creating a formidable pan-Nigerian ticket.
Beyond the economy, Kwankwaso’s campaign commencement address targeted the deteriorating security situation across the country. He noted that violence, banditry, and terrorism continued to destroy lives, displacing farmers and threatening educational institutions. He said, “Too many families have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violence.
“Our farmers need security to return to their farms, our children need safe schools, and every Nigerian deserves to live without fear.”
The NDC vice-presidential candidate stressed that revamping the nation requires urgent and massive investments in critical sectors, notably education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He demanded that public resources be managed with unprecedented transparency and strict accountability.
Kwankwaso reassured the electorate that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket is strictly driven by national interest.
“This is why I have chosen to work with His Excellency, Peter Obi, on the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. Our partnership is not about region, religion or personal ambition. It is about Nigeria. We believe in a country where government serves the people, where hard work is rewarded, where young people can build successful futures at home, and where every citizen has a fair opportunity to prosper.
“I therefore call on all Nigerians to support the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket and all candidates of the NDC and join us in the task of rebuilding our nation. Together, we can build a stronger nation and Nigeria will be OK.”
For former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, the focus is on alleviating the suffering of the masses. Atiku estimated that the removal of the fuel subsidy by president Bola Tinubu was responsible for the current hardship and has promised to systematically restore it. Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday, August 20, 2026 declared his intention to restore fuel subsidy. Promptly he came under vitriolic attacks over his plan to restore petrol subsidy if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
While the Presidency and the Organised Private Sector faulted the proposed policy reversal, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was divided over Atiku’s plan to restore the petrol subsidy, which President Tinubu removed during his inaugural address in May 2023.
Meanwhile, in the run-up to the 2023 presidential election, Atiku, then the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, had pledged to remove petrol subsidy within 100 days in office if he won the election.
Under his latest proposal contained in his Atiku Economic Recovery Plan 2027, the ex-vice president said his government would provide qualifying Nigerian refineries with crude oil at preferential prices, but only under strict conditions designed to ensure that the benefit reaches consumers.
He noted that the new petroleum subsidy model would shift government support from imported fuel to locally refined products.
In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu, on Thursday, Atiku called for a detailed explanation of nearly N12tn in energy security expenses recorded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in 2023 and 2024.
“My proposal is not to resurrect the old subsidy regime. We will move subsidy from importation to production, from middlemen to Nigerian refineries, and from unverifiable claims to verifiable barrels. The principle is simple: the subsidy will follow the barrel,” he said.
