Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has promised to restrict government borrowing to productive investments and impose tougher punishment on people who import hard drugs into Nigeria if elected president in 2027.
Obi made the statements on Saturday during an NDC town hall meeting in Kaduna State, where he appeared alongside his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to discuss the party’s plans for the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on his economic plans, the former Anambra State governor said his administration would move Nigeria from what he described as a consumption-driven economy towards production and investment.
“If you elect us to serve, we will only borrow money for investment,” Obi said.
“We’re no longer going to borrow money for consumption. We want to move Nigeria from consumption to production. By that, we will create jobs.”
Obi said creating productive opportunities for young Nigerians would be central to his proposed economic programme, including greater support for agriculture and small businesses.
He also compared Nigeria's youth employment situation with that of Indonesia, arguing that greater participation of young people in productive activities would contribute to stronger economic performance.
Obi also promised tougher penalties for people involved in importing hard drugs.
“If I become President, drugs will fetch life sentence. If you deal in drugs that will kill our youths and everything, you are going to face life imprisonment. We cannot take it,” he said.
He said he believed existing laws were not sufficiently deterrent against drug importation and linked the problem partly to unemployment among young Nigerians.
Obi also cited a figure of 14 per cent for drug prevalence in Nigeria, compared with about five per cent globally, during his Kaduna address. The figures were presented by Obi during the meeting and were not independently established in the reports reviewed.
The NDC candidate also urged political parties and candidates participating in the 2027 elections to focus their campaigns on practical solutions to Nigeria's challenges rather than promises he described as unrealistic.
He said political campaigns should be demand-driven and involve direct engagement with citizens.
The Kaduna meeting provided an opportunity for Obi, Kwankwaso and other NDC figures to discuss issues including employment, agriculture, drug abuse and economic development with supporters and participants.
Obi's proposal to impose life imprisonment on drug importers would require the necessary legislative and legal framework before such a penalty could be introduced. His comments therefore represent a proposed policy position ahead of the 2027 election.
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