The Obidient Movement has set clear conditions for supporting Peter Obi's participation in the emerging opposition coalition ahead of Nigeria's 2027 elections, insisting they will only back him as a presidential candidate, not as a running mate.
The coalition, spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has been gaining momentum with several political heavyweights joining forces to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections.
Key figures in the coalition include Peter Obi of the Labour Party, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, among others. The group recently met in Abuja under the aegis of National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) North.
Obi's Ambiguous Position
Despite being a central figure in the coalition talks, Obi has maintained that he would continue to run under the Labour Party "for now," creating confusion about his political intentions. This stance has drawn criticism from the Labour Party leadership.
Obiorah Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, described Obi's involvement in the coalition as "an affront to the party's leadership" and "confusing," stating that the party has no intention of entering any coalition ahead of 2027.
"We are therefore by this statement letting Nigerians know that the presidency for 2027 is open to anyone who wants to run under the platform of the party," Ifoh declared.
Obidients Reject Vice Presidential Role
Katchy Ononuju, former Special Adviser to Obi when he was governor of Anambra State, told DAILY POST that the Obidient Movement would not support Obi if he accepts a vice-presidential position.
"The members of the Obidient Movement will not agree to work with Obi if he is not the presidential candidate on any ticket he runs on," Ononuju stated emphatically. "His movement is like a cult, nobody amongst them has the cult followers Peter has, which has surpassed the Buhari followership."
Ononuju argued that the coalition could become a formidable force if it addresses the issues that led to the fragmentation of the opposition, particularly the controversy over zoning that caused the PDP to split before the 2023 elections.
Coalition's Potential Impact
Political analysts suggest the coalition could force President Tinubu to make concessions and adopt more inclusive policies. "The coming together of the opposition will force Tinubu to lose his nepotic replay of Buhari's exclusion policy against the rest of the country," Ononuju remarked.
Meanwhile, activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam described Obi's involvement in the coalition as "a calculated political option" to enhance his chances of winning the presidency.
"With Peter Obi's alliance with the coalition, he will at least enjoy the umbrage of a likely winning team and would stand a chance at the Presidency, if not now but later," Idam noted.
The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ralph Okey Nwosu, has indicated that discussions over adopting the ADC as the vehicle for the coalition will be concluded within the next two weeks.
As coalition talks continue, the political landscape appears to be taking shape for what promises to be a highly contested 2027 presidential election.
