Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged to tackle corruption, reduce the cost of living and address poverty if elected to office.

Mr Obi, accompanied by his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, made the pledge on Saturday during a town hall meeting in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The meeting followed their attendance at the fifth convocation ceremony in Kano, where Mr Obi served as the special guest of honour.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Obi described education as the bedrock of national development, noting that countries with higher levels of education are more likely to achieve greater development.

He commended the university for incorporating entrepreneurship and innovation training into its programmes, saying the initiative would foster start-ups and small businesses, which contribute substantially to employment generation and poverty reduction.

After the convocation, the duo travelled to Zaria, where they commissioned the senatorial campaign office of Mohammad Turad Sha’aban, the NDC candidate for Kaduna North Senatorial District.

During the town hall meeting, Mr Obi said he and Mr Kwankwaso would work together to unite the country and establish a shared national purpose.

He further pledged to invest in critical sectors, particularly healthcare and education, while implementing policies to ease the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

The former Anambra governor said the town hall meetings were aimed at obtaining citizens’ views on their needs, stressing that government policies should reflect public demands rather than be imposed from the top.

He applauded residents of Kano and Kaduna for their turnout and support, while congratulating the graduating students on their academic achievements.

Meanwhile, Mr Kwankwaso, at the convocation, described Mr Obi as incorruptible, saying the attribute is key and needed in the governance of the nation.

“One thing I noted in the last few months that we have been working together is that Peter Obi is incorruptible.

“He’s not somebody that you can go and start thinking of corruption around him, and that is very key in governance in this country,” he said.