Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate in the 2027 election, Mr. Peter Obi
By John Dike, Osogbo
A member of the House of Representatives representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Hon. Bamidele Salam, has described former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a man of integrity and commitment to public good.
Salam, a chieftain of the Accord Party in Osun State and Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, made the remarks in a post shared on his verified social media handles.
The lawmaker said while Obi could be faulted on certain grounds, he believed the former Anambra governor’s integrity and commitment to public service remained difficult to question.
According to him, Nigeria would be a better country if a significant proportion of its politicians demonstrated similar qualities.
Salam wrote: “You may fault Peter Obi on other grounds (I have two of those other grounds) but you can never fault him on points of INTEGRITY and COMMITMENT to public good.
“He may, painfully, not be my choice in 2027 but he is a man I deeply love and respect for his unassailable record of public service and compassion for the people.
“If 60% of us politicians are like him, Nigeria will be better.”
The statement comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections and the emergence of different positions within political parties and among their members.
Salam’s remarks are also notable against the backdrop of the position of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the Accord Party leadership on the 2027 presidential election.
In July, Adeleke and the national leadership of Accord adopted President Bola Tinubu as their preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Following his re-election as Osun governor in the August 15 governorship election, Adeleke again reaffirmed his support for Tinubu.
However, the governor said his support was not based on any political agreement with the President, explaining that his decision was influenced by Tinubu’s position as a Yoruba man from the South-West and his interest in the continuation of federal projects in the region.
Against that background, Salam’s comments on Obi have attracted attention, particularly because the federal lawmaker has not declared support for Obi’s presidential ambition.
When one of his followers asked him who his preferred presidential candidate would be for the 2027 election, Salam responded simply: “waiting…”
The lawmaker’s statement therefore amounts to an expression of admiration for Obi’s character and record of public service, rather than an endorsement of his presidential candidacy.
Salam also appeared to be responding to the ongoing public debate involving Obi and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo over issues concerning the state’s finances and debt.
While acknowledging that Obi could be criticised on other issues, Salam maintained that he considered the former governor’s integrity and commitment to public service worthy of recognition.
The comments have further highlighted the different political positions that can exist among members of the same party as the 2027 elections draw closer.
For Salam, however, his current public position remains one of respect for Obi, while keeping his preferred presidential candidate undisclosed.
