CITIZENS COMPASS— Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, on Thursday, listed the criteria to be considered should he consider stepping down for for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar.
Obi explained why he cannot simply step down for Atiku
According to him, the issue of stepping down should not be solely decided by two individuals, arguing that any agreement at this stage would have to involve the political parties.
He spoke during an interview with Arise Television while fielding questions on whether he would be willing to withdraw his presidential ambition in favour of Atiku.
He said, “Do you know where we are now? Where we are now is that I’m a candidate, my leader Atiku is a candidate of another party, so you are talking about two parties coming together; it’s no longer me or him as you are now talking about parties coming together.
“All those parties have candidates, so it’s no longer me as Peter talking. It’s like a situation where you have two corporations coming together; it’s no longer two CEOs going for a drink and saying we are going to work together.
“It’s not me saying I don’t want to be this or that; no, we have passed that stage,” Obi said.
Obi and Atiku were both members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 presidential election, with Atiku emerging as the party’s presidential candidate and Obi later defecting to the Labour Party to become the flag bearer.
The two politicians have since emerged as major figures in the opposition ahead of the 2027 election, with Atiku now flying the flag of the ADC and Obi contesting under the NDC.
There have been calls for the opposition figures to work together ahead of the 2027 election, including suggestions that Obi could team up with Atiku.
However, Obi has previously rejected reports that he had agreed to become Atiku’s running mate.
Addressing the issue, he said his position had been misrepresented, stressing that he had never been in a political party where an offer to serve as Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate was formally presented to him.
“My statement was unequivocal, and I am genuinely surprised by the misrepresentation of my words. For the avoidance of doubt, I never stated at any time that I would be vice president to anyone and it’s unequivocal,” Obi had said.
Speaking again on Thursday, he maintained that there was no occasion when he was offered the position and turned it down.
“Who said so? Where? I wasn’t even in any party where that offer was on the table. I wasn’t even in a position where it was being offered and I refused,” he said.
—GWG
