Two Opposition Heavyweights, Two Fronts: Obi Pitches Peace and Prosperity in Jos While Atiku Fires Warning Shot Over a World Bank Loan.

With the 2027 race heating up, the NDC's Peter Obi promised in Plateau to tackle insecurity and poverty, while ADC's Atiku Abubakar accused the government of laying a "debt trap" for whoever succeeds it.

JOS / ABUJA - Nigeria's 2027 political season shifted into a higher gear this week as two leading opposition figures pressed the government on its twin weak points: security and the economy.

In Jos, Plateau State, presidential candidate Peter Obi laid out his agenda to a town hall of supporters. In Abuja, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar issued a sharp statement against a proposed $500 million World Bank loan. The government has not yet responded to Atiku's claims.

Obi in Jos: Unity, security and jobs

Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), spoke on Tuesday in Plateau, a state long scarred by violent attacks. He pledged to unite Nigeria, tackle insecurity and lift millions of citizens out of poverty if elected in 2027.

He framed insecurity and poverty as two sides of the same problem. He argued that widespread poverty makes peace impossible, and that education and job creation are the most lasting solutions. He also said the primary duty of government is to protect lives and property.

Obi used the Plateau setting to make the point local. He said farmers cannot reach their farms because of insecurity, and that companies operating in the state have collapsed. His plan, he said, is to move Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one, creating jobs and strengthening local businesses.

Earlier in the visit, Obi met traditional rulers, including the Gbong Gwom Jos, and said Plateau's security challenges needed urgent attention. He also arrived in Jos ahead of a planned solidarity visit to Mangu, where communities have recently been attacked. He has previously said he would personally lead the fight against insecurity and serve only one term if elected.

Atiku in Abuja: "Debt trap" warning

Hours later, Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), turned his attention to the federal government's borrowing plans.

He criticised a proposed $500 million World Bank loan. According to his statement, the facility is scheduled for consideration on May 25, 2027, only four days before the next inauguration on May 29, 2027.

Atiku argued that an outgoing administration has no business committing the country to fresh debt just before handing over.

He called on the World Bank not to approve the loan on the timetable being contemplated and demanded full disclosure of its terms. He also pledged that an Atiku administration beginning on May 29, 2027, would not start its tenure by taking another loan.

Atiku had already questioned the government's wider borrowing last month, urging it to account for Nigeria's existing debt, which reports put at ₦166.79 trillion, before pursuing a combined $1.5 billion in World Bank financing. At the time he acknowledged that the planned projects, covering climate resilience, social protection and early childhood development, address real needs, but said previous loans must be accounted for first.

What it means

The two statements show where the opposition plans to focus its campaign. Obi is pitching a hands-on, security-and-jobs message in a region hit hard by violence. Atiku is portraying fiscal discipline as a line between himself and the government.

Supporters of the government's borrowing generally argue that concessional World Bank financing funds development projects the country needs. The Presidency and the Finance Ministry have not yet answered Atiku's latest claims, and approval of a World Bank loan does not necessarily mean immediate disbursement.

With the campaign season ahead, expect both themes to feature heavily in the months to come.