Labour Party’s Okereke unveils ‘Nigerians First! Believe Again!’ agenda ahead of 2027

Labour Party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Dr Chibuzo Okereke, has unveiled his “Nigerians First! Believe Again!” agenda, promising to prioritise citizens’ welfare, strengthen national security, reform public institutions and restore public confidence in government if elected president.

Speaking after accepting the party’s presidential nomination, Okereke described his vision as “a fundamental philosophical shift” in governance, arguing that government should focus on improving the lives of citizens rather than preserving political power.

“Our Nigerians First Vision offers a fundamental philosophical shift in our theory of nationhood and focuses on developing Nigerians, securing Nigerians, expanding socio-economic opportunities, restoring the dignity of our people, building trust among citizens and investing in the Sustainable Development Goals. We are convinced that when Nigerians prosper, Nigeria prospers,” he said.

The Labour Party candidate said governance, rather than politics, would define his administration, adding that citizens would be treated as active participants in national development.

“Our Presidency will put People and Governance First before Politics. We understand that politics is not the purpose of government; governance is the real purpose of government. Nigerian citizens will become partners in nation-building rather than spectators,” he said.

Okereke said his administration would implement a “Nigerians First Great Reset National Recovery Blueprint” built around six priority areas: national security and peace-building, economic stabilisation, food security and productive growth, education and healthcare development, institutional reforms and good governance, as well as national unity and social cohesion.

On security, he pledged to rebuild Nigeria’s armed forces and adopt a whole-of-society approach to tackling insecurity.

“Our goal is clear: restore public confidence that the Nigerian State is capable of protecting lives and property across every part of the federation. We will rebuild our military and restore the pride and glory of our land,” he said.

On the economy, Okereke promised to decentralise the power sector, improve infrastructure and create a more favourable environment for investment. He said his administration would work with states and regions to develop sectors based on their economic strengths.

“The national power grid will be completely democratised and decentralised. We will sit with individual states and zones, not to discuss politics, but to implement strategic investments based on their areas of resource competence and competitive advantage,” he said.

He listed areas of focus to include financial services and technology in the South-West, manufacturing and innovation in the South-East, the blue economy, aquaculture and tourism in the South-South, and agriculture and food production in the North.

The Labour Party flag bearer also pledged to prioritise education, healthcare and youth development, saying Nigeria’s future depended on investing in human capital.

“Our administration will prioritise foundational education, technical skills, digital literacy, research capacity and curriculum reforms aligned with modern economic realities. We must prepare Nigerian youths not merely to seek jobs, but to create value within a globally competitive economy,” he said.

On governance reforms, Okereke proposed the introduction of Zero-Based Budgeting, stronger fiscal and procurement laws, digitisation of public services and the creation of accountability offices within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to be staffed by officials from anti-corruption agencies.

He also proposed transferring the responsibilities and funding of agencies such as the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to local governments.

Okereke further announced plans to make the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) optional for most graduates, except those in STEM and selected disciplines.

“The NYSC Scheme will be made optional. All other graduates will undertake a three-month National Community Development Project and, upon completion, receive their NYSC discharge certificate. This will save Nigeria billions of naira,” he said.

He also promised merit-based recruitment into the public service, with vacancies in government agencies publicly advertised to promote transparency and fairness.

Addressing national unity, Okereke proposed the creation of a National Day of Peace and Forgiveness to encourage reconciliation and strengthen integration across ethnic, religious and regional divides.

He said the inspiration behind his “Believe Again” slogan was Nigeria’s growing crisis of confidence, arguing that many citizens had lost faith in government institutions and the country’s future.

“The truth is that millions of Nigerians no longer believe in the promise of this land. Millions no longer believe that government can work, institutions can be trusted, merit can prevail, or that the future can be better than the past,” he said.

He added that the “Believe Again” message was a call for national renewal through responsible governance.

Okereke, a governance and policy expert, holds a PhD in Legislative Governance Studies from the Federal University Lokoja, as well as master’s degrees in Public Administration and Policy from Baze University, Abuja, and Legislative Governance Studies from the University of Benin.

He also holds a degree in Accounting, with a specialisation in Audit and Investigation, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he served as student union president. He is currently pursuing another doctorate degree in Public Policy at Veritas University, Abuja.

He has worked in legislative technical support roles at the National Assembly, where his contributions to the Public Accounts Committee reportedly helped recover more than N300 billion in government revenue from agencies and private sector entities.

Okereke is also the founder of organisations including the Erudite Growth and Advancement Foundation (ErGAF-AFRICA), Project Hope Alive Africa and the National Political Equity Movement (N-PEM). Through the ErGAF-AFRICA Project Hope Alive Initiative, he has supported more than 10,000 schoolchildren with educational materials and other interventions.