Peter Obi Promises to Keep Tinubu's Naira Policy if Elected in 2027

• Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate for 2027, said he would retain one key Tinubu economic policy if he wins
• The former Anambra governor made the pledge during a televised interview on Arise TV on Thursday
• Obi also cautioned Nigerians against allowing ethnic considerations to drive voting decisions in the 2027 elections

National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has said he would keep President Bola Tinubu's naira float policy if he wins the 2027 presidential election, but with a different approach to making it work for ordinary Nigerians.

Obi made the disclosure during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday.

When asked to identify one Tinubu administration policy worth keeping, the former Anambra State governor said, "There's one – the floating of the Naira. I'm not going to defend it. But I'm going to put productivity to make it more valuable to the people."

Obi's productivity-first approach

According to PUNCH, rather than reversing the floating exchange-rate framework, Obi said his focus would be on boosting domestic production and economic output as a way to strengthen the naira's value. This reflects his longstanding argument that Nigeria's economy must shift away from consumption and towards production, exports and investment.

The Tinubu administration floated the naira in June 2023, shortly after the President's inauguration, as part of a sweeping set of economic reforms. The Central Bank of Nigeria removed restrictions at the Investors and Exporters foreign exchange window, ending a system of multiple exchange rates and letting the naira trade freely against the dollar and other major currencies. Tinubu had signalled the move during his inauguration speech, describing the old arrangement as a distortion in need of correction.

The reform came shortly after the then CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, was suspended. In the months that followed, the naira fell sharply, dropping from below N500 per dollar to levels above N1,000 and later crossing N1,500 per dollar at various points. The policy has remained one of the most contested aspects of Tinubu's economic agenda, with supporters saying it removed harmful market distortions and improved transparency, while critics point to the severe impact on purchasing power.

Obi warns against tribalism in 2027

Beyond exchange-rate policy, Obi also used the Arise TV interview to caution Nigerians about the role of ethnicity in the 2027 vote. "Our election should not be driven by tribalism," he said.

Obi contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party platform before resigning from the party in May 2026. He was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate on May 29, 2026. The 2027 election is widely expected to centre on economic issues, including inflation, exchange-rate stability, unemployment, and the rising cost of living.

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Peter Obi speaks on Tinubu, Atiku’s academic records

Legit.ng previously reported that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), emphasized that anyone aspiring to the presidency must be prepared to engage directly with the public and respond to tough questions.

He urged Nigerians to hold all contenders accountable by demanding openness about their personal backgrounds and policy agendas.