Peter Obi pushes health insurance reforms and questions forest guard plan in Nigeria

On June 5 2026, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, met with healthcare professionals and experts in the United States. He said the talks were meant to deepen his understanding of successful health‑insurance systems and reiterated his commitment to expand insurance coverage, strengthen primary and emergency care, train more workers and make quality, affordable healthcare accessible across Nigeria. He quoted his aim as “Building a Healthier Nigeria Through Stronger Healthcare Systems.”

Obi also criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval of recruiting 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State, arguing that security measures should be part of a coordinated national strategy rather than isolated state actions. He questioned whether similar approvals would be granted to all states and warned the move could affect the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps). Obi called for a holistic “ecosystem” approach linking security, job creation and broader development.