In what may emerge as one of the most ideologically provocative declarations ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Dr. Chibuzo Okereke, has openly challenged the long-standing “Nigeria First” doctrine. He argues that decades of state-centred governance have failed ordinary citizens and contributed to the country’s deepening social and economic crises.
Speaking after accepting his nomination as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Okereke unveiled a new political creed — “Nigerians First! Believe Again” — which he described as a fundamental shift in how government should view its relationship with citizens.
“The purpose of the state is to serve its people,” he declared. “Nigeria exists because Nigerians exist. When Nigerians prosper, Nigeria prospers.”
The declaration marks a direct departure from the traditional political rhetoric that places the preservation of the state at the centre of governance. According to Okereke, successive governments have spent decades asking how to protect the Nigerian state, preserve political power and manage elite interests while paying insufficient attention to the welfare, dignity and development of citizens.
He argued that this approach has produced a country where millions of people no longer believe government can work, institutions can be trusted, merit can prevail or the future can be better than the present.
“Nigeria is facing not only an economic crisis or a security crisis,” he said. “We are facing a crisis of confidence.”
The Labour Party candidate’s speech amounted to a sharp critique of the political establishment, contending that governance has become excessively focused on politics rather than people. Under his proposed philosophy, government success would no longer be measured by political victories, economic statistics or elite consensus, but by tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.
“No Nigerian under our watch will live as though there is no government,” he pledged.
Okereke’s message appeared carefully crafted to appeal to growing public frustration over hardship, insecurity, unemployment and declining trust in public institutions. Rather than centring his campaign on infrastructure projects or political alliances, he framed the 2027 election as a battle to restore belief in the Nigerian project itself.
The Labour Party standard bearer repeatedly returned to a single phrase throughout his address — “Believe Again.” He directed the message at soldiers battling insurgency, young Nigerians leaving the country under the Japa wave, struggling farmers, pensioners, women, entrepreneurs, academics and voters who have lost faith in the electoral process. To each group, his appeal was identical: “Believe Again.”
Political analysts say the speech represents an attempt to redefine the national conversation from one centred on government programmes to one focused on rebuilding public trust and national confidence. At a time when many Nigerians feel disconnected from government and sceptical about political promises, Okereke appears to be betting that the biggest challenge facing the country is not merely policy failure but the collapse of belief in the state’s ability to improve lives.
Whether the message resonates beyond Labour Party supporters remains to be seen, but the emergence of “Nigerians First” as a governing philosophy has introduced a new and potentially influential narrative into the race for the presidency. For a country battling economic hardship, insecurity and political disillusionment, the Labour Party candidate is offering something different: not just a manifesto, but a challenge to the very assumptions that have shaped governance in Nigeria for decades.
