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By Our Correspondent 

SOKOTO — Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called for greater national unity, improved security, poverty reduction and job creation as urgent priorities for Nigeria.

Obi made the call after paying a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, in Sokoto on Monday, ahead of his town-hall engagements in the state.

Obi was accompanied by his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and other members of the NDC team. The visit formed part of the party’s consultations with traditional and community leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections. 

According to Obi, the delegation also used the occasion to condole with the Sultan over the recent death of the Sardauna of Sokoto.

In a statement posted on his X account, Obi said he used his remarks during the visit to stress the need to “unite and secure our nation, tackle poverty, create employment, and rebuild confidence in our country.”

He said the Sultan received the delegation warmly and spoke on the responsibilities attached to leadership.

Obi quoted the Sultan as reminding him that leadership comes from Almighty Allah and carries a responsibility for which leaders would ultimately be held accountable.

According to him, the Sultan identified security, poverty and employment as three critical priorities requiring urgent attention in Nigeria.

The NDC candidate also said the Sultan recalled knowing him for almost 46 years, dating back to 1980 when Obi was a first-year student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Obi said the monarch further stressed that Nigeria’s diversity of tribes, languages and faiths should be regarded as a strength rather than a source of division.

The former Anambra State governor said the NDC’s vision was not to Islamise or Christianise Nigerians, but to build a country where every citizen could live safely, prosper and have “a genuine sense of belonging.”

The Sultan, according to reports on the meeting, also urged politicians and their supporters to conduct their activities peacefully and avoid inflammatory rhetoric, personal attacks and actions capable of deepening divisions ahead of the 2027 elections. 

The visit preceded an NDC town-hall meeting in Sokoto, where Obi and Kwankwaso engaged residents and party supporters on issues including insecurity, education, poverty, employment and economic development. Obi also identified education, security and national unity among the priorities of his proposed administration. 

Obi ended his message by praying for the continued wellbeing of the Sultan, the people of Sokoto State and Nigeria.

He reiterated his campaign message: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”