Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has quashed speculations that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar might seize control of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH during a visit to LEA Primary School in Kapwa, Abuja, Obi described Atiku as a “dear elder brother and respected leader,” dismissing concerns about a potential takeover as unfounded.
The speculation arose following reports of defections by Atiku’s loyalists from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ADC coalition, raising alarm among Obi’s supporters.
Tensions escalated after Atiku, in a recent BBC Hausa interview, declared he would not step aside for any aspirant unless defeated at the ADC primaries, fueling debates about his 2027 ambitions.
Former Kaduna Central lawmaker Shehu Sani further amplified concerns, posting on X that defeating Atiku in any party’s primaries would be a formidable challenge.
Obi, however, remained unfazed, emphasizing that the ADC coalition is focused on national rescue, not internal rivalry.
“Let me tell you, Atiku is a very dear elder brother and leader that I have a lot of respect for,” he said.
“I’m a member of the Labour Party and I belong to the coalition forming the ADC for the presidential election in 2027. I can tell you, other parties and people are going to be part of it. All of us are going to come together as a people.”
He stressed that the coalition’s goal is to unite well-meaning Nigerians to “do the right thing for the country".
The former Anambra State governor affirmed his intent to contest in 2027, whether under the ADC or another platform, asserting his qualifications and vision.
“I’m contesting and I’m sure I will be,” Obi declared. “People will have to look at who is competent, whether he has the capacity and everything. And I think I’m qualified. I have the capacity to do the job. In four years, I can change the trajectory of Nigeria to a positive one.”Shifting focus from partisan disputes, Obi urged Nigerians to prioritize citizens’ welfare over political maneuvering. “We’ve talked too much politics in this country,” he said.
“I was in some villages in Anambra State, and could see poverty everywhere. We’re talking about party chairmen, primaries, and things like that. I want the new Nigeria to be talking about what will benefit the people.”
Obi and Atiku were both defeated by President Bola Tinubu in the fiercely contested 2023 presidential election, where Obi, running on the Labour Party platform with strong youth support, secured third place behind Atiku, marking one of Nigeria’s most competitive electoral races.
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