Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has ruled out stepping down for his African Democratic Congress counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying any decision on a possible opposition alliance must now be taken by the political parties rather than individual candidates.
Obi said the issue was no longer about whether he or Atiku would personally make way for the other, stressing that both men are now presidential candidates of separate political parties.
The former Anambra State governor stated this in an interview with Arise Television aired on Thursday, where he spoke extensively on the 2027 election, the opposition coalition, the economy, national unity, security and governance.
Asked if he would be willing to step down for Atiku, Obi 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 me, as you are now talking about parties coming together.
“All those parties have candidates. So, it is a discussion. It is no longer me, as Peter, talking. It is like a situation where two corporations are trying to come together. It is no longer something where the two CEOs go for a drink and say, ‘We are going to work together’. They need to look at how to bring these two corporations together.”
The comments come amid continuing efforts by opposition politicians to forge a common platform capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election.
In 2025, Obi, Atiku and other opposition leaders were involved in the coalition that adopted the ADC as its platform, raising expectations that the former allies could once again work together ahead of the 2027 poll.
The coalition, however, did not result in Obi and Atiku contesting the 2027 presidential election on the same platform.
Obi subsequently emerged as the presidential candidate of the NDC, while Atiku became the ADC presidential candidate.
Their separate candidacies have since intensified speculation over whether one of the two former allies could eventually step down in favour of the other as part of efforts to produce a single opposition presidential candidate.
But Obi said the question should now be considered within the broader context of a possible agreement among political parties rather than as a personal negotiation between himself and Atiku.
According to him, the existence of candidates across the various opposition parties means that any merger or alliance would require negotiations on how the different political structures would be integrated.
His comments appear to leave the door open to negotiations between the parties, but reject the framing of the issue as a simple decision by Obi to surrender his presidential ticket to Atiku.
The NDC candidate was also asked whether he would accept the position of vice-president if an arrangement was reached with Atiku.
Obi denied that he had previously rejected an offer to serve as Atiku’s running mate.
“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 have a history of running together on the same presidential ticket.
Obi was Atiku’s running mate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 presidential election.
Their political paths diverged ahead of the 2023 election, with Obi leaving the PDP and contesting the presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, while Atiku remained the PDP presidential candidate.
The 2027 contest will therefore mark another election in which both politicians are seeking the presidency, although this time from different opposition platforms after their involvement in the coalition effort.
The former Anambra governor also used the interview to draw a distinction between the economic policies he would retain if elected and the areas where he would seek to change the direction of the Tinubu administration.
Asked to name one policy of the present administration that he would retain if elected president, Obi identified the floating of the naira.
“There’s one – the floating of the Naira. I’m not going to defend it. But I’m going to put productivity to make it more valuable to the people.”
The Tinubu administration introduced the naira float in June 2023 as part of its broader foreign exchange reforms, which sought to unify the multiple exchange-rate system and allow market forces to play a greater role in determining the value of the currency.
The reform has remained one of the most contentious aspects of the administration’s economic programme, particularly because of the sharp depreciation of the naira following its implementation and its effect on inflation, imports, household incomes and business costs.
Obi’s position, however, suggests that he would not reverse the floating exchange-rate framework if elected but would seek to address what he considers the underlying weakness of the Nigerian economy.
Rather than defend the policy in isolation, he said his administration would focus on increasing productivity to improve the value of the naira and strengthen the economy.
The former governor has consistently advocated moving Nigeria away from what he describes as a consumption-driven economy towards production, agriculture, exports and investment.
His argument during the interview was that a stronger productive base would provide greater support for the currency than attempts to artificially defend the naira without corresponding growth in economic output.
The exchange-rate issue is expected to remain a major campaign subject in 2027 as Nigerians continue to contend with the consequences of high inflation, rising living costs, unemployment and pressure on household incomes.
Beyond the economy, Obi warned against allowing ethnic considerations to dominate the 2027 presidential election.
The NDC candidate said Nigerians should judge political candidates and their programmes on the basis of what they could offer the country rather than their ethnic backgrounds.
He said, “Our election should not be driven by tribalism.”
The statement comes amid growing political debates over regional calculations, zoning and the geographical distribution of presidential support ahead of the 2027 election.
Obi also sought to reassure Nigerians in the North that his political ambitions were not targeted at any region, stressing that he remained committed to the development of the region.
Addressing historical grievances linked to Nigeria’s political history, particularly attempts to associate him with the 1966 military coup, Obi said he was only four years old when the event occurred.
He said, “I am committed to the future of the North. I believe the North has so much to offer Nigeria. As a country, we can make more money from agriculture than we do from oil.
“There were regrettable things that happened in our collective history. I was not personally involved in those sad events, but it is time to show love and pursue unity in Nigeria. We must not dwell on the past. We can only build through love.”
The statement was also an appeal for Nigerians to move beyond historical grievances and focus on issues that could unite the country.
Obi argued that agriculture represented one of the major areas through which Nigeria could expand its economic base, particularly in the North, where large areas of land and agricultural potential remain available.
His comments form part of his broader argument that Nigeria must increase domestic production and reduce its dependence on oil and imported goods.
The NDC presidential candidate also criticised the practice of Nigerian presidents spending their holidays abroad, saying an elected president should remain in the country and use such periods to engage directly with citizens.
Obi said he would mandate domestic vacations for the President if elected, arguing that the country’s leader should use the opportunity to visit areas facing serious security and developmental challenges.
“Nigeria’s President must spend his vacation in Nigeria. We cannot continue with this nonsense. Where do other countries’ own leaders spend their vacations?
“Nigeria’s President should go to Zamfara, to Borno, to Anambra, to anywhere. As President of Nigeria, I will visit other countries, but I will not take my holidays there,” he said.
When asked about the security implications of spending vacation time in states affected by insurgency and banditry, particularly Borno, Obi maintained that the President should not use security concerns as a reason to leave Nigeria during holidays.
“It doesn’t matter. Because that’s the country he lives in. That’s why he takes the money to Europe,” Obi declared.
He drew a comparison with political leaders in other countries, arguing that the conduct of a Nigerian president should similarly reflect a strong connection with the country and its people.
“Do you know what it means for the British Prime Minister to say he’s going for vacation in Germany? That will be the end of him,” he said.
Obi also criticised what he described as brief presidential visits to states affected by crises, arguing that the President should spend enough time on the ground to understand the problems and engage the relevant stakeholders.
The NDC candidate said, “A president who has not slept three nights anywhere in Nigeria,” Obi claimed.
He argued that visits to troubled communities should not merely be symbolic or limited to short official engagements but should involve sustained interaction with residents, traditional rulers, state officials and other stakeholders.
“He should go to Benue and say, ‘I’m here for the next three days; I want to see these stakeholders in the state,’” Obi stated.
The Punch
