Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticised Nigeria’s political class for what he described as an unhealthy fixation on the 2027 general elections while violent attacks continue to devastate communities across the country.
In a message posted on his official 𝕏 account, the former governor of Anambra State painted a grim picture of the nation’s security landscape, warning that the scale of killings and abductions in early 2026 is deeply troubling.
He claimed that more than 1,000 Nigerians lost their lives within the first two months of the year, with thousands of others reportedly kidnapped in separate incidents.
Repeated Attacks
Obi pointed to repeated attacks across several states — including Zamfara State, Kwara State, Ondo State, Kebbi State, Edo State, Benue State, Adamawa State and Plateau State — noting that entire communities have been shattered by gun violence and fear.
According to him, the casualty figures rival those of countries formally at war, a reality he said should dominate national discourse.
Instead, he accused many political actors of concentrating on campaign calculations, internal party arrangements and zoning debates ahead of 2027.
“We are mapping out strategies for 2027 while citizens are struggling to survive 2026,” Obi wrote, describing the trend as morally indefensible.
He argued that the intense political maneuvering currently underway appears detached from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians, many of whom face daily threats to their safety and livelihoods.
Calling for a recalibration of leadership priorities, Obi stressed that safeguarding lives and property must take precedence over electoral ambitions.
He warned that history would judge leaders not by the sophistication of their political strategies, but by their response to a period marked by widespread insecurity.
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His remarks come amid mounting concern from civil society organisations and security experts, who have repeatedly urged authorities to strengthen protective measures and implement a more coordinated national response to the ongoing violence.