Unknown Trader

I have consistently continued to respectfully appeal to those in office today to prioritise reconstruction and maintenance of existing roads and other infrastructure over commencing new ones. I left someone in Onitsha on Saturday night to take the first bus to Lagos on Sunday morning. Until I left Lagos at 8 pm yesterday, he had not arrived in Lagos. He only arrived in Lagos at about 2 pm today. A journey that usually takes a maximum of 8 hours now takes nearly two days. This is not just about bad roads. It is about lost man-hours, stranded passengers sleeping on highways, wasted fuel, damaged vehicles, delayed goods, and businesses losing millions of naira. Nigerians do not need new projects just for the headlines. We need functional roads that make life and economic activity possible. A government must understand that infrastructure is not necessarily about the size of the project; it is about the number of lives and livelihoods it improves. A new Nigeria is POSSIBLE, and Nigeria will be OK. -PO

MY ADDRESS TO MARK THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE 2027 PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAMPAIGNS 21 August 2026 Dear Compatriots, Members of the Press, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Wednesday, 19 August 2026, marked the official start of the campaign period for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections. There is no doubt that this is a defining moment for our democracy. This moment gives Nigerians the opportunity to assess the records, ideas, and plans of those seeking their mandate to lead their country at a time of grave uncertainty in our rapidly changing world. I consider myself quite privileged to be one of those seeking your mandate to deal with these challenges facing our country. I enter this contest with one firm conviction: Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work. Nigeria faces several serious challenges. Some of them are indeed of existential proportions. According to the IMF, 63%, or over 140 million Nigerians, live at or below the national poverty line, while humanitarian agencies estimate that 35 million people will need food assistance during the 2026 lean season. About 3.6 million Nigerians remain internally displaced, largely because of conflict and insecurity. Each year, millions of young people enter the labour market, yet too many struggle to find productive opportunities. Weak infrastructure, unreliable power, insecurity, and the excessive cost of doing business continue to burden households and constrain enterprise. These are more than statistics. They reflect the daily realities of Nigerian families, farmers, workers, students, and businesses. Yet I do not believe Nigeria lacks the ability to overcome these challenges. We have the people, resources, market, talent, and enterprise. What we must do now is turn these strengths into security, productivity, and shared prosperity. LEADERSHIP MUST DELIVER RESULTS My successful private-sector experience, studies in institutions of repute on policy and business matters, and my service as Governor of Anambra State have shaped my understanding of public leadership. Government must manage resources responsibly, set clear priorities, and measure the outcomes of its decisions. Public office is not a reward; it is a responsibility to the people. In Anambra, I prioritised the foundations of long-term development: education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and institutional capacity. I do not present that record as perfect, but as an experience from which Nigerians can draw their own conclusions. Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso brings a different but complementary governing experience. As Governor of Kano State, he focused strongly on education, technical training, scholarships, infrastructure, and human-capital development. His administration’s investments in education and skills showed an understanding that the people are a state’s most important long-term resource. Our experiences are different, but our conclusion is the same: Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline. BUILDING AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS Nigeria needs more than reactive reforms. We must focus on the questions that matter: Are Nigerians better off than they were four years ago? Can they afford food, education, and healthcare? Can businesses produce, expand, and create jobs? Can young people find productive work? Can farmers work safely and get their produce to market?