Every time he speaks about the country and his desire to fix its problems, his passion flows through every word that comes forth from his mouth. And more and more Nigerians appear to be appreciating this fact about the Labour Party standard bearer as his support base and followership continues to swell by the day. Now, the word within inner political circles is that Peter Obi is no longer the ‘small fry’ political power houses thought he was, you underestimate Obi now, then, you do so at your own peril! If truth be told, the man has become the nightmare of all the other presidential aspirants and the fear of Peter Obi has since become the beginning of wisdom. Even at this very minute, contents are circulating online about a Google conducted popularity ratings purportedly showing Obi as leading Tinubu and Atiku on the scale.
The big news now is the fact that, in the past one week or thereabout, Peter Obi’s name has constantly been in the news because of his move to join forces with some other political juggernauts such former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaeachi and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. They are all determined to unseat President Tinubu come 2027. But there is still a little problem. Amongst the three front runners for the presidency, who will emerge the presidential candidate and who will be his running mate?
At first, there was speculation that that Peter Obi had agreed to be running mate to Attiku Abubakar, but he denied such arrangement afterwards.
Obi stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, aired on Sunday.
“I’m going to contest for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I believe I am qualified for it,” Obi said.
Responding to rumours that he may pair up with Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party, Obi said, “This is not in play; nobody has ever discussed that. People assume so many things. Nobody has ever discussed with me whether I am going to be A or B or C.”
Obi also reaffirmed his loyalty to the Labour Party, saying he remains a vibrant member.
However, he noted that he is also involved in a broader opposition coalition, including the African Democratic Congress, aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“I am part of the coalition which will be able to produce a president with the capacity and compassion to save this country,” he said.
But an Igbo youth group does not agree with Peter Obi’s approach to actualising his presidential ambition. They are not pleased with him. They fear that if he chooses to contest alone, he may not have what it takes to defeat President Tinubu and this may hold back the actualisation of an Igbo President come 2027 or 2031.
The group called Omenuko Ndigbo United criticised Peter Obi for distancing himself from efforts to unite opposition parties ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The group warned that Obi's approach mirrors his 2023 strategy, which they claim divided the opposition and aided APC’s victory. They urged Obi to clarify his position on the coalition, saying Igbo chances in 2027 or 2031.
In a statement issued on lasst week in Owerri, Imo state, signed by its president, Comrade Benjamin Madu, the group noted that Obi’s current political posture may weaken the collective chances of dislodging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group alleged that Obi is repeating the same mistake he made in 2023, when his decision to run separately fragmented the opposition vote and indirectly aided the APC’s victory.
“We are not happy with Peter Obi. Instead of joining hands with others to rescue Nigeria, he seems to be focused only on himself. This is not the time for selfish politics,” the statement read. According to Omenuko Ndigbo United, a divided front in 2027 would harm the broader interest of the Igbo people who are hoping for a turn at the presidency. The coming 2027 presidential election is a crucial moment for Igbo presidency, says group. The youth organisation stressed that with the current president coming from the South, 2027 presents a rare opportunity for an Igbo candidate to gain national support. However, such a prospect, they warned, depends heavily on unity among opposition forces.
“The current president is from the South. This is the best time for Ndigbo to push for the presidency. But we need unity. If Obi leaves the coalition, it will be harder for an Igbo person to become president in 2027 or even in 2031,” they said.
Obi’s approach to the 2027 election has drawn strong criticism from a concerned group.
The group also questioned Peter Obi’s silence regarding coalition talks, suggesting that his apparent lack of interest might point to covert support for the APC or President Bola Tinubu. “Obi is not fully part of the plans, and it’s starting to look like he is playing another game. We need to know what he really wants,” the group warned. They referenced attacks on Obi by APC supporters such as Reno Omokri and cautioned against falling for the same tactics used in the last election. They also cited journalist David Hundeyin’s advice urging the opposition to avoid past strategic blunders.
It remains to be seen how Peter Obi will play his game. A section of the Obidient have insisted he must settle for nothing less than the presidential ticket, while another group insists he must play along with the rest of the coalition group and accept the running mate option if it will guarantee his taking over the helms of affairs after Atiku does the agreed four years and hands over to him.
WALE LAWAL (08037209290)
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