Former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerian politicians to stop focusing on 2027 elections and instead concentrate on improving the lives of Nigerians.

Speaking on Friday at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, after addressing Dentistry students at the University of Calabar, Obi stressed that true leadership is about service to the people, not just political ambition.

“We need to stop talking about politics every day,” Obi said. “Let’s start talking about education, health, and poverty reduction. We can’t build a better Nigeria without first investing in the people.”

He criticised the government’s spending priorities, questioning why political office holders ride in luxury while students lack basic school facilities.

“You can’t have politicians driving around in expensive cars while students don’t have chairs or proper classrooms,” he said. “That system must change. I want to help build a country where any child – no matter their background – can succeed.”

Obi, who governed Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, encouraged students to take their education seriously, calling it their greatest weapon in competing globally.

He also declined to speak in detail about the 2027 presidential election, saying, “Let’s fix the present first – let’s talk about how Nigerians can eat, go to school, get healthcare. When 2027 comes, I’ll be there, and yes, I will contest.”