A new political argument has started after Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, got involved with a coalition formed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Reports now say he may have been misled into joining the alliance.
Right now, it appears that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar might be preparing to contest for president under the ADC coalition in 2027. Atiku recently promised to fight corruption strictly if elected.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi has said he’s only interested in serving a single term if elected president. He denied having any joint ticket agreement with Atiku and promised to leave office by May 28, 2031, if elected.
Katchy Ononuju, who worked closely with Obi during the 2023 elections, said Obi was fooled into joining the coalition. He said Obi was told that he would be the preferred candidate after the coalition’s inauguration.
Ononuju claimed that the coalition told Obi to register first, with promises to choose a Southern candidate later. But he warned Obi that it was a setup and that the coalition was not trustworthy.
He added that he and Doyin Okupe helped start the youth-driven Obidient Movement from within the PDP to push for Southern leadership. He said the group would not support Obi if he accepted any position that goes against their hopes for Southern leadership.
Ononuju also explained the importance of zoning in Nigerian politics, saying that after a Northern president, the presidency should go back to the South—no matter which party is involved.
He accused Atiku of going back on promises to support Southern zoning. He said Obi’s recent TV interview was a hint that he’s still with Labour Party and not committed to any joint ticket, but by then, damage had been done.
According to Ononuju, Atiku has already started making presidential campaign promises, even though he built the ADC coalition himself. He believes Atiku won’t let anyone else lead the movement he created.
Ononuju strongly believes that if Obi accepts a Vice President position, his political career will be over. He said the youth would abandon Obi and that vice presidents in Nigeria are usually sidelined and silenced.
He gave examples from past governments, saying people like Osinbajo, Shettima, Jonathan, and Atiku himself all faced reduced roles as vice presidents. Ononuju said this is a pattern that will hurt Obi if repeated.
He stressed that Atiku is behind the ADC coalition and will not step aside for Obi. He said the focus shouldn’t just be on removing Tinubu but on building a better alternative, which can’t happen without Obi in a leading role.
Ononuju recalled how their 2023 campaign focused on reaching various ethnic groups across Nigeria. He said their grassroots approach helped Obi win support and not by relying on one ethnic group or region alone.
Meanwhile, Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, dismissed the claims. He said the story about Obi being tricked was false and only meant to cause confusion.
Tanko stated that any official statement on Obi’s political moves will come from Obi himself or his aides. He said those spreading these stories just want to distract people from the bigger goal.
He added that Obi is committed to working with others to improve the lives of Nigerians, especially in areas like poverty, healthcare, education, and the economy.
Tanko also clarified that Obi is still a full member of the Labour Party. He said Obi’s interest in the coalition is purely for the 2027 elections, and his focus now is to support LP candidates and keep the party strong.
