Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has urged politicians across the country to stop campaigns for the 2027 general elections and urgently address the worsening insecurity claiming lives in many communities.
The former governor of Anambra State (2006- 2014) made the call in a statement shared on his official X handle on Sunday, lamenting that more than 1,000 Nigerians were reportedly killed in the first two months of 2026 alone, with thousands abducted in violent attacks nationwide.
He said it was disturbing that politicians were preoccupied with permutations for 2027 while communities in states such as Zamfara, Plateau, Benue, Edo and others continued to witness killings, kidnappings and mass displacement.
He described the level of bloodshed as comparable to countries officially at war, warning that the silence and misplaced priorities of leaders could worsen public frustration.
Citing recent attacks in Plateau communities, Obi said families were burying loved ones while political actors focused on zoning arrangements, party structures and campaign strategies ahead of the next election cycle.
According to him, leadership should be measured by the protection of lives and not by political victories. He urged elected officials at all levels to prioritise security, strengthen intelligence gathering, and restore confidence in affected communities.
Obi stressed that history would judge leaders not by how well they prepared for elections but by how decisively they acted when citizens were under threat, calling on all stakeholders to “choose Nigerian lives over politics.”
