The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed not to spend his holidays outside Nigeria if elected President in the 2027 general elections.

Obi made the pledge in his Independence Day address in Abuja on Thursday, saying he would use his four-year tenure to travel across the country, interact with citizens and gain a better understanding of their challenges.

He said his holidays would be spent visiting states including Zamfara, Borno, Kwara, Ebonyi and Edo, among others, as part of his commitment to remain connected with Nigerians.

Obi said he wanted to see more of the country, interact directly with citizens, listen to their concerns and understand their experiences.

The former Anambra State governor also pledged that his administration would make governance measurable and accountable, with emphasis on the welfare and productivity of Nigerians.

He said that within the first year of his administration, Nigerians would begin to see what he described as the tangible impact of purposeful and effective leadership.

On security, Obi pledged to tackle insecurity and create conditions that would allow farmers to return to their farms, children to attend school, businesses to operate freely and families to live without fear.

He also criticised the current administration, arguing that Nigeria continued to face challenges including poverty, insecurity, unemployment and a large population of out-of-school children despite promises made during the 2023 election campaign.

Obi said the country’s problems were not primarily caused by a lack of resources but by the failure of successive governments to translate available resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.

The NDC candidate also referred to his recent visit to Sokoto State with his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, where they held discussions on insecurity, poverty, unemployment, drug abuse and out-of-school children.

He said their visit to an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Ramin Kura, Sokoto, highlighted the hardship experienced by displaced women and children.

Obi said the country needed a change in the way public resources were managed and called for greater accountability in governance.

His pledge to spend presidential holidays in Nigeria follows earlier comments in which he criticised the practice of political leaders spending holidays abroad and said a Nigerian President should use such periods to visit communities across the country.