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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that he would divide Nigeria if elected president, insisting he has the experience and leadership required to unite the country.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, Obi responded to comments by former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, who questioned his ability to unify the country.
Rejecting the criticism, the former Anambra State governor said his record reflected a longstanding commitment to national unity.
“I will unite Nigeria, and I know what it takes to unite Nigeria,” Obi said.
He argued that his actions over the years, rather than political rhetoric, demonstrated his commitment to all parts of the country.
Obi recalled visiting Borno State to console Sheriff after the killing of his brother during the early stages of the Boko Haram insurgency.
He also said he returned to the state after devastating floods, donated ₦50 million, met with the governor and the Shehu of Borno, and visited internally displaced persons’ camps.
According to Obi, he has undertaken similar humanitarian visits to several northern states, including Katsina, Kebbi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi and Sokoto.
He added that he had visited Benue multiple times to support communities affected by violence and had spent Christmas and New Year in internally displaced persons’ camps.
Obi said he funded boreholes in several northern communities and supported educational and healthcare institutions, including agricultural projects at Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto.
He also stated that he had travelled extensively across Nigeria by road, saying the experience had deepened his understanding of the country’s diverse communities.
Addressing concerns over divisions rooted in the Nigerian Civil War, Obi said his presidency would mark the beginning of national healing.
He argued that while Nigeria should acknowledge its history, it must not allow past events to determine its future.
According to him, his vision is to build a country where citizens can live, work and succeed regardless of ethnicity or religion.
Responding to allegations that he had made divisive remarks about northern Nigerians, Obi described the claims as false.
He said several of his closest aides had been northerners and Muslims, including his aide-de-camp while serving as governor of Anambra State.
Obi also said he sponsored Muslims from Anambra State on annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia during his tenure as governor and currently supports Almajiri schools in Kano and Bauchi, as well as a School of Nursing in Bauchi.
He urged political leaders to focus discussions on poverty, insecurity, education and healthcare instead of engaging in personal attacks.
Obi maintained that he would pursue an inclusive administration that promotes national unity and ensures every Nigerian has a sense of belonging.
