A professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has sent a message to young Nigerians working as political thugs for politicians.

In a post on his verified X handle on Saturday, Utomi said corrupt politicians of feeding young thugs with crumbs while they continue to profit from the chaos they create in their neighbourhoods.

He asked the thugs if their parents would be proud of them doing dirty jobs for the politicians.

“To every young man doing agbero (thuggery) work for corrupt politicians, I want you to sit down and ask yourself an important question, Is this what you will still be doing at 50? Are your parents proud of what you are doing?

“These corrupt politicians will feed you crumbs while continuing to profit from the chaos they are creating in your neighbourhoods,” Utomi wrote.

The political economist warned youths not to allow themselves to be used as instruments of destruction ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Come 2027, please do not allow yourself to become an instrument of destruction in these men’s hands. You deserve better,” he warned.

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The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the national leader of the party, Seriake Dickson were spotted on Friday using a colourful boat regatta to campaign in Bayelsa State.

The event, which was held in Yenagoa, turned into a carnival as hundreds of boats decorated with party flags sailed across the creek, with supporters chanting Obi’s name.

Peter Obi, who arrived with Dickson, mounted one of the lead boats and waved to the crowd that gathered at the waterfront.

Speaking at the regatta, Obi said the NDC represents a new movement to rescue Nigeria, and that Bayelsa being a riverine state deserves special attention.

“We are not just campaigning, we are connecting with the people in their own environment. The people of Bayelsa live on water, so we must meet them on water,” Obi said.

On his part, Dickson said the boat regatta shows that the NDC has grassroots support in the Niger Delta.

“This is not Abuja politics. This is the real people, the Ijaw people, showing their strength. With boats, we will sail to victory,” Dickson said.

It was reports that the boat regatta is a traditional Ijaw cultural display.

Supporters of the NDC said the use of a boat regatta is strategic, as it shows respect for Bayelsa culture while pushing their political message.

Videos of the boat regatta have since gone viral on social media, with many Nigerians praising Obi for going into the creeks to campaign.

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The Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to go into forests on rescue mission if elected president in 2027, declaring that his administration would not tolerate kidnapping and insecurity.

Obi made the promise while addressing supporters during a campaign rally in Bayelsa State, where he pledged to make the country safe for Nigerians to travel and go about their daily activities without fear.

He said his administration would begin by uniting the country and ensuring that no region or group felt excluded from the Nigerian project.

“We will make Nigeria work. We will make Nigeria a place where people will live. We will secure Nigeria. Nobody will live in Nigeria where you can’t travel on the road again,” he said.

Obi cited his recent road trips across several states as evidence of the urgent need to improve security on the country’s highways.

“I came to Bayelsa this morning from Enugu by road; I moved around Nigeria by road. On Tuesday, I was in Lokoja; on Wednesday, I was in Akwanga; yesterday, I was in Ebonyi, and today I am in Bayelsa. Our roads must be secured,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor also criticised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as the President’s failure to visit Bayelsa State despite its contribution to the country’s economy through oil production.

He questioned the President’s frequent foreign trips, arguing that he should pay more attention to engagement with Nigerians across the country.

“This is a state where Nigeria discovered oil. This is a state where we get money we share, and the President said he will not come here to campaign,” Obi said.

“Our President has travelled out of the country for over 200 days, sometimes 260 days, but he will not come to Bayelsa for one day, and he wants you to vote for him.”

On the security situation, Obi pledged that an NDC-led government would take decisive action against kidnappers, particularly those targeting schoolchildren and other vulnerable Nigerians.

“NDC will secure Nigeria under our government. If anybody takes schoolchildren, if anybody kidnaps anybody, I will go into the bush. We will go into that bush and rescue the person. Nobody will try that in our government,” he declared.

Obi also promised to tackle corruption, insisting that public funds would be managed transparently and deployed for the benefit of citizens.

He said an NDC government would prioritise education, electricity and other essential services, adding that basic education would be free through collaboration with state governments.

“They say if you fight corruption, corruption will fight you back. And I’m telling you, under the NDC, you run away. You will not fight back because we will use public money for public good,” he said.

“Under NDC, your children will be in school; there will be classrooms. We will work with the states to ensure that basic education, which is primary, will be free.”

On electricity, Obi pledged that his administration would work towards producing, transmitting and distributing at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity.

“We will produce, transmit and distribute a minimum of 10,000 megawatts of electricity. The minimum we have today under APC is 4,000,” he said.

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