Bako_Franshencia BSc. MIR. MA.🌲

FROM KANO TO ZARIA : ADVANCING EDUCATION, EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES AND UNITING NIGERIANS FOR CHANGE After my engagements in Delta State on 13th November, I travelled yesterday, Saturday, 14th November, to Kano via Abuja to serve as the Special Guest of Honour at the 5th Convocation Ceremony of Skyline University, Kano. In my address at the ceremony, I reaffirmed that education is the bedrock of development. Experience has consistently shown that the more educated a nation is, the greater its level of development. Skyline University has achieved another significant milestone by ensuring that every student receives training in entrepreneurship and innovation. Such training lays the groundwork for start-ups and SMEs, which remain among the largest sources of employment, important instruments for lifting people out of poverty and significant contributors to the most productive economies, particularly those of comparable developing countries. Following the convocation, my dear elder brother and our Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and I travelled from Kano to Zaria in Kaduna State for a town hall meeting. Upon our arrival in Zaria, we first commissioned the senatorial campaign office of the NDC Senatorial Candidate for Kaduna North Senatorial District, Mohammad Turad Sha’aban. At the Zaria town hall meeting, I reiterated that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and I will work together to unite and secure the country around a shared national purpose. We will confront the deep-rooted and widespread corruption that has impeded Nigeria’s progress for many years. We will vigorously implement policies to reduce the cost of living while making strategic investments in essential sectors, especially healthcare and education, and lifting our people out of poverty. Our town hall meetings provide a platform for engaging directly with citizens and gathering firsthand perspectives on their most pressing needs. These interactions reinforce my conviction that government policies and programs must be driven by public demand rather than imposed from the top down. I congratulate the graduating students of Skyline University, Kano, on this significant achievement. I also commend our dedicated party candidates for their perseverance and commitment. I extend my sincere appreciation to the people of Kano and Kaduna States for their impressive turnout, active engagement and steadfast support. A New Nigeria is POssible, and Nigeria will be OK! -PO

DELTA STATE : CELEBRATING FAITH, HONORING FRIENDSHIP, AND ENGAGING WITH THE PEOPLE. My activities in Delta State yesterday, Friday, 13th November 2026, comprised three significant engagements. After a highly successful town hall meeting in Lagos State the previous day, I travelled to Warri, Delta State, to continue interacting with the people. While in Warri, I visited a revered man of God and father in the faith, Papa Ayo Oritsejafor, former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria and founder and Senior Pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, to celebrate his birthday with him. It was a privilege to share in this special occasion. I congratulate Papa on his birthday and pray that God will bless him with many more productive years in His service. I thereafter visited the family of my dear brother and former Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, to offer my condolences. Dr Uduaghan’s passing remains a deeply painful personal loss. In my conversation with the family, I reflected on the years when we served as governors of neighbouring states and the warm relationship we sustained until his death. We pray that God Almighty, who has called him to eternal rest at this time, will forgive his shortcomings, grant him everlasting peace, and strengthen his family and all of us who mourn him to endure this irreparable loss. While travelling by road from Warri to Asaba, I briefly stopped at Ughelli Market, where I met with traders and heard their concerns about the prevailing economic difficulties and the obstacles affecting their businesses. I assured them that we remain committed to implementing policies that will lower the cost of living, strengthen small businesses, and lift our people out of poverty. I concluded my engagements in Delta State with a visit to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference in Ubulu-Uku, where I urged the worshippers to continue praying for those of us in public office so that we will consistently apply public resources to the public good. I also reaffirmed Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso's and my commitment to uniting the country, decisively confronting insecurity and corruption, investing in essential areas of development, especially healthcare and education, supporting small businesses, and addressing poverty with determination. I thank our candidates in Delta State, led by our governorship candidate, Deacon Chris Iyovwaye, and our senatorial candidate, Hon. Victor Ochei, for their participation and dedication. I also appreciate the people of Delta State for their warmth and hospitality. A New Nigeria is Possible, and Nigeria will be OK! - PO

LAGOS STATE_ : REAFFIRMING COMMITMENT TO PEACE, ELECTORAL INTEGRITY AMID POLITICAL INTIMIDATION Yesterday, 12th November 2026, I arrived in Lagos from Abuja to attend the commendation service of my very dear elder brother, Chief Sir Okey Ezibe, KSC, which took place at Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, as part of the activities leading to the funeral of the distinguished businessman and people-builder. At the close of the service, I proceeded to Oregun to join our supporters and participants at the Lagos State edition of our ongoing series of town hall meetings across the country. Earlier, I had been informed that a group of thugs had mobilised to attack participants who arrived early for the meeting. Let me reiterate that the political violence being enabled by certain political actors against our supporters is an ill wind that blows no one any good. Anarchy consumes everyone. We will remain law-abiding, even in the face of extreme provocation. Despite the disruption and the concerns surrounding the event, we proceeded with our town hall meeting. As usual, participants raised important questions and concerns about reviving the economy, reducing the high cost of living, tackling endemic corruption, addressing insecurity, caring for vulnerable citizens, and protecting the integrity of our elections. In my remarks, I emphasised that the first responsibility of any government is to secure the country and unite its people around a shared purpose. I also outlined our commitment to policies that will reduce the cost of living, improve the welfare of Nigerians, and aggressively invest in critical areas of development, particularly healthcare and education, while addressing poverty and the needs of vulnerable citizens. On the forthcoming elections, I reminded participants that protecting the integrity of the electoral process is a shared responsibility. Every effort must be made to ensure that votes are properly protected, from the polling unit through ward collation to the final collation and declaration of results. Our party, the NDC, will also fulfil the responsibility to deploy competent agents to polling units to observe and document the process. I encouraged our people to eschew violence while remaining peaceful, vigilant, and resolute in defending their democratic rights. I thank the organisers of the town hall meeting for their efforts. My appreciation also goes to our candidates in Lagos State for their continued dedication and to the good people of Lagos State for their participation and commitment to peaceful democratic engagement. A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO

A NEW DIMENSION OF TOXIC POLITICS IN NIGERIA The new dimension of toxic politics that Nigeria has developed since 2025, I arrived at the airport at 7 a.m. this morning to board my flight to Enugu. There, I saw the Nigeria Under-17 girls' team, which had just arrived and was preparing to board its vehicle into town. With genuine joy and enthusiasm, I asked my Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether I could greet and welcome the team. I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs. Regrettably, this is not the first time I have been subjected to such treatment. On March 25, 2025, I was in Uyo for the World Cup qualifier. The governor warmly received me and welcomed me at the VIP stand. Following the match, other government officials went to greet the players, but I was again prevented from doing so. I was told by the officials that they would lose their jobs if I proceeded. It is deeply troubling to witness the extent of toxic politics into which our nation has descended since 2025. Each year appears to bring further deterioration. This reflects how deeply Nigeria has been affected. The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation. It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences. A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO

FLAMINGOS: YOU HAVE MADE NIGERIA PROUD I extend my warmest congratulations to our exceptional Flamingos on their historic triumph at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. To our talented young stars, thank you for raising our flag high and bringing immense joy to our nation. Your remarkable talent, resilience, hard work and dedication have earned you a special place in the hearts of Nigerians. You have made our nation proud, and we truly appreciate your outstanding efforts. Congratulations, champions! A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO

GOOD DAY, MR PRESIDENT: NIGERIANS DESERVE ACCOUNTABILITY Good day, Mr President. I congratulate you on spending a night in one of Nigeria’s states outside Lagos and Abuja. I hope you enjoyed the warmth, hospitality, and delicious cuisine of Akwa Ibom, which I am sure is even better than those of the destinations where you have spent over 260 days outside Nigeria since coming into office. I sincerely hope this visit will inspire you to travel to the remaining 33 states of the federation, spend time with the people and, more importantly, explain what your administration has done with the ₦15.8 trillion saved from the removal of fuel subsidy, the over $100 billion you have borrowed, the increased revenues accruing to the government from taxing Nigerians, and the additional government revenues which your administration celebrated last year as having surpassed its target. Nigerians deserve to know how many that were pulled out of poverty within this period, how many out-of-school children were returned to school, and how many functional primary healthcare centres you have built. They also deserve to know how much electricity supply has improved, especially given your promise that if you do not fix power, Nigerians should not vote for you. They deserve an explanation of how you have secured the country, which still ranks among the most terrorised countries in the world. Mr President, Nigerians deserve answers. They deserve to know what has been done with the resources entrusted to your government. The New Nigeria we want to build will be based on accountability, transparency, and the physical, measurable impact of our public resources on the lives of citizens. A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO

BAYELSA STATE: WARM CONGRATULATIONS TO SENATOR HENRY SERIAKE DICKSON Yesterday, 30th October 2026, I travelled from Enugu to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to attend the homecoming ceremony honouring my dear brother and our Party’s National Leader, His Excellency, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, while continuing our engagement with the people. During the grand event, I reminded the good people of Bayelsa State that, after more than three years in office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not considered it appropriate to spend even one night in Bayelsa State, despite spending over 260 days abroad. I assured our numerous supporters and the people of Bayelsa State that this will not happen under my leadership. I will visit Bayelsa to hear directly from our people and respond to their concerns. In Bayelsa, I pledged that we would begin efforts to upgrade ports throughout the Niger Delta, including those in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar. We will also begin construction of the long-delayed Ibaka seaport in Akwa Ibom State and establish a new port in Bayelsa State to serve our riverine communities and the broader Niger Delta more effectively. I reaffirmed our commitment to unite and secure the country, fight corruption, and make substantial investments in healthcare and education while lifting our people out of poverty. The visit concluded with my joining Senator Seriake Dickson, for a traditional canoe war game and boat regatta in his hometown of Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area. I congratulate my dear brother, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, on his successful return home. I appreciate our party’s national and state leadership, members as well as the good people of Bayelsa for good organisation, warm reception and successful event. A New Nigeria is POssible, and Nigeria will be OK!. -PO

ENUGU STATE: LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE AND BUILDING A UNITED NIGERIA Following yesterday’s (29th October) town hall meeting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, I proceeded to Enugu State, where we held another town hall meeting as part of our ongoing nationwide engagement. I was joined by my brother and Vice Presidential Candidate of our party, the NDC, His Excellency, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. In Enugu, we met with our teeming supporters and enthusiastic citizens who lined the streets and besieged the venue in their numbers. In our conversations, including the contributions from our Vice Presidential Candidate and me, we reiterated our commitment to uniting and securing the country, tackling corruption, massively investing in critical areas of development, particularly health and education, and pulling our people out of poverty. Shortly before the town hall event, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and I met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Enugu Chapter, where we reaffirmed our commitment to national unity, religious harmony and peaceful coexistence. Leadership must be about listening to the people. Those seeking to lead must understand what Nigerians need and be willing to receive feedback on the impact of government policies and decisions. I thank our teeming supporters, party members and organisers for their dedication and commitment. I also thank the good people of Enugu State for their warm reception. A New Nigeria is POssible, and Nigeria will be OK! -PO

A NEW AND PRODUCTIVE NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE, AND NIGERIA WILL BE OK Yesterday, 26th of October, our Party, the NDC Campaign council was inaugurated in Abuja. As part of my remarks, I told Nigerians how our richly endowed nation, the giant of Africa, is now the world’s poverty capital. Regrettably, over 140 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor, representing more than 60% of the population. Corruption remains widespread, while insecurity affects every part of our country. Unemployment and inequality are at record levels, and Nigerians face severe and avoidable hardship. Even with the removal of the fuel subsidy and reckless borrowing, with a debt of over ₦165 trillion, there has been little or no corresponding increase in productivity. In the last three years, President Tinubu has foisted on Nigeria a reign of corruption and duplicity, resulting in extreme poverty. Today, President Tinubu has made history as the leader who has created the largest number of poor people in the world. This year, he has made about 16 million Nigerians extremely poor. Just last Saturday, President Tinubu, while launching his re-election campaign in Kaduna, blamed past and opposition leaders for the hunger and poverty that have ravaged Nigerians. What is clear is that President Tinubu does not have the competence, the capacity, the character, compassion or the commitment to solve the problems he created. He lacks the energy and the resolve to get Nigeria out of the current worsening crisis. Under President Tinubu, despite his promise to fix electricity, Nigeria now has the lowest consumption of electricity. Without reliable power, businesses cannot expand efficiently, hospitals cannot provide dependable services, schools struggle to operate effectively, and households face additional financial burdens. We will pursue an electricity reform programme focused on reliability, affordability, investment, and accountability. We will work with relevant federal and state institutions, regulators, operators, and investors to address the weaknesses affecting generation, transmission, and distribution. Under President Tinubu, Nigeria is more divided than ever, more terrorised than ever and more insecure than ever. Under President Tinubu, Nigeria has fallen into a crisis of values, such that our budgets are no longer credible and our laws are forged. Nothing is sacred. Nothing is spared from degradation, not budgets, not laws, not institutions. From our engagements with Nigerians across the country and all segments of society, the message is clear: Nigerians want and deserve a better, more productive nation, one in which good governance is visible, firmly established, effectively practised and embraced as part of our national culture. I, Peter Obi, with my very dear elder brother, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, implore and beckon all of you, committed members of our great party, the NDC, and all Nigerians, to join us in this crusade of rebuilding our dear and most endowed nation, Nigeria. Today, we begin a renewed journey towards a New Nigeria, united by shared purpose, founded on fairness, justice and equity, and committed to productivity, inclusion and development. We envision a nation where government prioritises the security and welfare of its people, good governance prevails, and public officials remain accountable. It will be a law-abiding society of healthy, skilled and educated citizens, where every child attends school and learns to read and write. No Nigerian should live in a displaced-persons camp, and corruption must no longer weaken our institutions or the fabric of our nation. A New Nigeria is our vision. A New Nigeria is our mission. Corruption today has become more pervasive under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s APC-led government. No state institution has been spared, and since 2023, its effects have spread throughout national life.

CIVILITY IS NOT WEAKNESS. ENOUGH OF THE HARASSMENT OF MY SUPPORTERS. RELEASE RILWAN OLAWALE NOW. The continued intimidation and harassment of my supporters across the country, the latest being the case of Rilwan Olawale, is disturbing and unacceptable. President Bola Tinubu has remained a huge beneficiary of our democracy and should not brazenly be destroying it by encouraging and facilitating violence. Our campaign is peaceful and issue-driven, focused on offering Nigerians a credible alternative built on competence, accountability, justice, and compassion. We have chosen the path of peace, not violence; persuasion, not intimidation. However, nobody should mistake our civility for weakness, our restraint for fear, or our commitment to peace for an absence of resolve. We will not be intimidated into silence, nor will we abandon Nigerians who believe in a New Nigeria that is possible and will be OK. I therefore demand transparency regarding Rilwan Olawale’s arrest, his release, respect for his rights, and an end to politically motivated harassment. No government or political party has the right to deny Nigerians the freedom to support a candidate of their choice. We will remain peaceful but resolute. We will not resort to violence, but we will stand firmly and lawfully against every attempt to undermine our democratic rights. A New Nigeria is POssible and will be OK. -PO

Today, I arrived at Abuja Airport from the United Kingdom at 5:30 a.m. and immediately connected to the 7 a.m. Enugu Air flight to Enugu to attend the funeral of late Ifeanyi Nwolie, who was laid to rest in his hometown of Afa, Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State. Late Ifeanyi Nwolie was one of my supporters who participated in the recent NDC party political activity marred by violence on October 10, 2026. Tragically, he was shot. His death is a painful reminder of the devastating human cost of our nation’s current toxic political environment. As we approach the 2027 general elections, I appeal to all candidates contesting at the federal, state, and local government levels to reject violence, ethnic division, and religious bigotry. Our campaigns and activities must be based on issues that will make our country better. Democracy thrives when citizens can freely express their political choices and participate in the electoral process without fear. The process through which we attain public office is more important than the office itself. My humble pledge to the mother is that God Almighty, whom it pleased to bring Ifeanyi home, has also given her another son in me to support her as Ifeanyi used to. A country’s greatest strength lies in the rule of law. When the rule of law is undermined, the door is opened to disorder and anarchy. We must work together to rebuild and restore a Nigeria where human life is valued above political ambition, and where every citizen can exercise their democratic rights in peace and safety. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO