Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has said he would personally take charge of government if elected president in 2027, contrasting his proposed leadership style with that of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Obi made the declaration in a recent interview by the BBC monitored by The News Chronicle while discussing presidential accountability and the extent to which Nigeria’s president should personally take responsibility for decisions taken by his administration.
According to him, Buhari was not fully in control of his government during his time in office.
“He was not in charge. The difference is that I would be in charge,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor said he would not allow his administration to be run by proxies or unelected individuals, insisting that the person elected by Nigerians must be directly accountable for the affairs of government.
“I will be in charge and I will not run government by proxy,” Obi said in the interview.
He added that Nigerians would know exactly who was responsible for decisions taken under his administration.
“Nobody will talk for Peter. Because I’m the one that’s elected. I’ll be answerable to the people. And for every penny, I’ll be answerable to the people,” he said.
Obi also linked effective presidential leadership to accountability, arguing that a president must personally explain government decisions to Nigerians rather than allow others to speak on his behalf.
The NDC presidential candidate further said he would take direct responsibility for Nigeria’s security architecture if elected, including personally engaging with communities affected by insecurity.
