Kwankwaso Promises Jobs and Security as Obi Misses Meeting in Plateau

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has promised that a government led by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will focus on security, education, agriculture and job creation if they win in 2027.

Kwankwaso made this promise on Friday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Jos, Plateau State. He described the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as a platform for bringing the country together.

Obi was not at the meeting, which included party leaders, supporters, civil society groups and journalists.

Kwankwaso said that Obi called him earlier on Friday to explain he could not make it to Plateau State due to unforeseen circumstances. He said Obi asked him to reassure the people of Plateau that they are committed to the state and promised that both candidates would return for another meeting.

“His Excellency Peter Obi told me to inform you that, together, we are 100 per cent with the good people of Plateau State,” Kwankwaso stated.

He added that the candidates have agreed to align their visions for Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections. “This ticket is a ticket of unity, unity in Plateau, unity in Northern Nigeria, unity in Southern Nigeria, and unity in Nigeria,” he said.

The former governor of Kano State and ex-minister of defence highlighted insecurity, poverty, hunger, unemployment and the decline of industries as major issues facing Nigeria.

He criticized what he sees as the indifference of political leaders to the ongoing killings in the country, whether from banditry, insurgency or communal violence.

“You wake up and 20 people, 100 people or even more are killed like chickens, and nobody cares,” he said. “Human beings are human beings. We have to have caring leaders in this country.”

Kwankwaso argued that any government unable to protect its citizens and uphold their dignity should not be given another chance.

He promised that an Obi-led government would improve access to education, especially in northern Nigeria. Referring to his time as governor of Kano State, he said his administration helped many school-age children attend primary school and allowed qualified students to move on to secondary and tertiary education.

He called for similar opportunities to be available across Nigeria, including Plateau State, which he said shares cultural and demographic similarities with Kano.

Kwankwaso noted that the decline of industries has robbed many communities, including those in Plateau, of job opportunities, leaving many young people without stable income.

He said the new government would focus on reviving agriculture, supporting farmers and creating jobs for young Nigerians. “The shoes we had in the past are gone, and nobody cares,” he stated, referring to the drop in local manufacturing.

He did not share specific job creation targets or details on how the proposed government would fund its plans.

Kwankwaso urged Plateau residents to back the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket on the NDC platform in the 2027 presidential election and to ensure their votes are protected.

“You have to start and protect those votes. You have done it before; try to do it again,” he said, referencing the support Obi received in the 2023 presidential election.

He thanked the Middle Belt Forum, party supporters and journalists for joining the meeting. He added that the party’s leaders in Plateau would be contacted to arrange another visit by both candidates.

The meeting in Jos happens as opposition politicians work to build an alliance for the 2027 elections. Kwankwaso has turned down calls to step aside for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any other opposition party, highlighting disagreements over a common presidential candidate.

These differences raise questions about the chances of opposition unity as discussions continue among political figures about the need to coordinate against the ruling party.