Elder statesman and former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said that the worsening levels of multi-dimensional poverty, astronomical unemployment rate and growing insecurity across Nigeria provide compelling reasons for voters to remove President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) from power in the 2027 general election.

He argued that the current administration has failed to tackle the country’s deepening socio-economic challenges, noting that widespread hardship, job losses and persistent security threats have continued to erode public confidence in the government.

Nwodo maintained that Nigerians deserve a credible alternative that prioritises economic stability, job creation and the protection of lives and property.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY in Enugu, the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed confidence that the opposition would prevail in 2027, insisting that once Mr. Peter Obi secures the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the contest would effectively be decided.

“We will help Peter Obi to get the ticket in the ADC, and once he gets it, the fight is over. With the North and the East, I do not know where Tinubu will be looking for votes to win a second term,” he said.

According to Nwodo, the growing wave of defections by governors to the APC is less important than the daily realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.

“It is not about governors defecting to the APC; what matters is whether Nigerians are happy with this government. Are they going to bed thanking God that the country is being well governed, or are they in pain? Are poverty, hunger, unemployment and insecurity increasing at a geometric rate? These are the issues that make voters reject a government, and that is what we are relying on,” he stated.

Responding to a question on whether available data supports claims of worsening socio-economic conditions, Nwodo pointed to personal experiences as evidence of the deepening crisis.

He said many individuals who once supported extended families and sponsored indigent students are now struggling to feed themselves.

“They call me and send messages saying, ‘Your Excellency, we have not had a meal in this house for three days. Please help us with something to eat.’ When people at that level abandon their pride to beg, you cannot tell me poverty is not increasing,” he said.

further painted a grim picture of life in rural communities, recounting frequent deaths linked to hunger and lack of access to basic healthcare.

“In my hometown, I cannot recall a market week—Nkwo, Eke, Orie and Afor—without at least seven deaths. Every day, you hear that someone has died, another will be buried tomorrow, and another funeral will follow. These have become the only social activities you can be certain of every weekend. People are dying because they cannot afford treatment for simple illnesses like malaria,” he lamented.

Nwodo added that international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have documented the scale of the crisis, including millions of Nigerians trapped in multidimensional poverty, a growing population of out-of-school children, widespread unemployment and soaring inflation amid stagnant incomes.

On concerns that Nigeria may be drifting towards a one-party state amid mass defections to the APC, Nwodo said the situation underscores the need to build a strong alternative.

“If we do nothing, we risk creating a dictatorship, and history has shown that dictatorship never helps any nation, especially not a country of over 200 million people. That is why we are determined to give Nigerians a real choice,” he said.

He recalled that in the 2023 election, Obi contested without the backing of sitting or former governors, senators or other prominent politicians, yet recorded an impressive performance.

“Despite that, he still scored the highest votes in many places, but was placed second to make it difficult for him to reclaim his mandate.

Today, he has the support of former governors and sitting senators. About 18 of us attended his declaration, and more politicians from the South-east are joining him. It is no longer a one-man project; he now has a formidable team,” Nwodo said.

He concluded by predicting a repeat of the 2023 political upset, recalling how several incumbent governors failed in their bids to move to the Senate.

“We saw it in our state, and the same thing happened in Abia and Benue. That tsunami is coming again,” he added. (THISDAY)

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