Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has ruled out withdrawing from the 2027 presidential race in favour of former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The former Anambra State governor made the categorical remark on Thursday while featuring as a guest on an Arise TV programme monitored by Tribune Online.
Checks revealed that Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, was Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election.
Further checks revealed that a coalition of opposition parties under the umbrella of G-100 is engaged in discussions over a consensus presidential candidate ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The NDC presidential candidate maintained that the issue of the 2027 presidential race was beyond two individuals.
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, a former presidential aspirant of the ADC who left the party to team up with Rabiu Kwankwaso in the NDC, also dismissed speculation that he rejected an offer to become Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.
He said: “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.”
Responding to the ongoing discussions on an alliance for a consensus candidate against the incumbent President and All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, the NDC presidential candidate said he would be willing to engage in any alliance that would address healthcare, education, job creation and other pressing needs of the average Nigerian.
“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.”
