2027: Why I Can’t Step Down for Atiku Now – Obi
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has denied rejecting an offer to become Atiku Abubakar’s running mate under the African Democratic Congress, ADC, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi made the clarification during an interview with Arise TV while responding to questions about a possible alliance among opposition parties ahead of the election.
In 2025, Obi, Atiku and other opposition leaders formed a political coalition under the ADC. The arrangement later broke down after some members left, with Obi emerging as the NDC presidential candidate and Atiku becoming the ADC’s presidential candidate.
Asked whether he would step down for Atiku or accept the vice-presidential position if the opposition parties reached an agreement, Obi said the issue should not be reduced to negotiations between individual politicians.
“I’m a candidate, yes. So, my leader, Atiku, is a candidate of another party. I am a candidate for another party. So, you are talking about two parties coming together; it is no longer him or me,” he said.
He said any alliance should involve negotiations between the political parties rather than between individual candidates.
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“All those parties have candidates. So, it is a discussion. It is no longer me, as Peter is talking. It is like a situation where two corporations are trying to come together. It is no longer something the two CEOs go to a drink and say we are going to work together. They need to look at how to bring these two corporations together,” Obi said.
When asked about reports that he had previously ruled out accepting a vice-presidential slot from another candidate, Obi denied that he had rejected any such offer.
“I don’t know where that was said. I wasn’t even in a position where that was being offered, and I refused,” he said.
Obi and Atiku previously ran together as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election. They later contested separately in 2023, with Obi running under the Labour Party and Atiku representing the PDP.
Obi said he would support any opposition alliance capable of making Nigeria work, with national unity, rule of law, accountable leadership, education, healthcare and job creation among its priorities.
“I want to be part of any coalition that will make Nigeria work. That will make Nigeria productive. That will create jobs for the young ones. That will pull people out of poverty. That will make education work,” he said.
