Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has reaffirmed her support for Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying she would still choose the former Anambra State governor based on the leadership criteria she applied during the 2023 election.

Ezekwesili made the remarks during an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time, where she called for a new political trajectory focused on better governance, human dignity and improving the lives of Nigerians.

She recalled that she supported Obi in 2023 after assessing the presidential candidates based on their ability to provide effective leadership, adding that she did not believe anything significant had changed to alter her position.

However, the former minister cautioned against making the 2027 debate solely about Obi or any other individual candidate.

“Don’t make this about Peter Obi. I don’t want us to personalise. I’m interested in the construct,” she said, stressing the need to focus on the broader political system and how it could be redesigned to serve Nigerians better.

Ezekwesili criticised what she described as the declining value placed on human life and dignity in Nigeria, arguing that repeated elections alone would not resolve the country's problems without changes to the political system.

She urged Nigerians to take greater responsibility for the country's future by voting for leaders who represent their interests and challenging the belief that the country's current condition is inevitable.

The former World Bank vice president also encouraged capable Nigerians to seek elective positions at the local, state and federal levels, saying greater citizen participation was necessary to change the country's political direction.