“Don’t Wait for Anyone, Take Ownership of the Campaign” — Peter Obi Charges Rivers People

PORT HARCOURT — The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged the people of Rivers State to take ownership of the party’s 2027 campaign and actively mobilise their communities for political change.
Obi delivered the charge during the “Obi Talks Nigeria” town-hall meeting in Port Harcourt, where he engaged Rivers residents and stakeholders alongside the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The engagement focused on Nigeria’s economic challenges, education, healthcare, jobs, security and the 2027 electoral process.
According to Obi, the people should not wait for political leaders or campaign officials before beginning the work of reaching out to Nigerians.
“Don’t wait for anyone; go ahead and do your campaign,” Obi charged, urging Rivers people to see themselves as active owners of the political movement rather than passive supporters.
The message effectively places responsibility for the NDC’s grassroots expansion on ordinary citizens, encouraging supporters to take the party’s message into their communities, neighbourhoods, wards and local governments.
Obi’s call comes as the NDC seeks to build a broad national movement ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Port Harcourt town hall providing an opportunity for direct interaction between the party’s presidential ticket and citizens.
He also placed strong emphasis on protecting the people’s mandate at the ballot box, insisting that the votes of Rivers residents must count in 2027 and that Nigerians must be allowed to freely choose their leaders.
The former Anambra State governor said the political struggle should not be left exclusively to candidates and party officials, stressing the importance of citizens becoming directly involved in determining the country’s future.
For Obi, the task ahead is therefore bigger than conventional electioneering—it is a citizen-driven campaign in which supporters are expected to carry the message of a new Nigeria from one community to another.
He urged Rivers people to rise to the occasion, organise themselves and begin the mobilisation without waiting for instructions from the political hierarchy.
“The campaign belongs to you. Don’t wait for anyone—go ahead and do your campaign.”
The Port Harcourt engagement is part of Obi’s wider town-hall initiative designed to interact directly with Nigerians and discuss the challenges facing the country.