Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s bloc within the African Democratic Party (ADC) has begun searching for a southern politician to serve as his running mate in the 2027 presidential election.
According to Sunday Punch, the bloc had narrowed its focus to Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party candidate.
There are indications that if Obi declines the offer, Atiku would consider former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Speaking with Punch, Atiku’s political friend, veteran journalist Dele Momodu, publicly urged Obi to join Atiku in forming a strong opposition pact to dislodge the ruling party.
Momodu described Atiku and Obi as the two figures capable of delivering the strongest alliance Nigeria has seen since the 2019 election.
Recall that Atiku and Obi previously ran on the joint People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in 2019, but lost to then-incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Momodu expressed frustration over what he described as public pushback from Obi’s supporters, whom he blamed for the reluctance to finalise the prospective match-up ahead of 2027.
He said, “That is why they are trying to make every party have only southern candidates. They don’t want any strong opposition from the opposite direction (North). There is no way any Southern candidate can defeat Tinubu.
“I have said this to Peter Obi. We have met several times at my houses in Lagos and Ghana. If Peter Obi does not take advantage of a ready-made union between him and Atiku, it would be very unfortunate. It would be as good as working for Tinubu to come back.”
Warning that delay could cost Obi a significant political opportunity, Momodu said Atiku may settle for Amaechi as his running mate.
He said, “A lot of people are underrating Amaechi. Amaechi single-handedly handed power to Buhari. What the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is doing now, though in an unruly manner, Amaechi did quite well when he was governor of Rivers State. Amaechi mobilised more than any other person for Buhari, even more than Tinubu. If Obi does not make up his mind or chooses to run alone, then I believe the mantle might fall on Rotimi Amaechi.”
On efforts to reconcile both men politically, Momodu said, “I have told Obi. There is no time.
“The person you want to dislodge is already the President. He has everything. He is either coercing or cajoling the governors and senators to join him. He wants to present a false alibi that everybody loves him. He knows what he is doing.
He wants to create a false image of someone who cannot be defeated, so that when they succeed at doing their manipulation, they will say, ‘What did you expect?’
“Despite all their shenanigans in 2023, they lost Lagos to Obi. They lost Osun to Gov Ademola Adeleke. Obi needs to make up his mind. For now, I don’t know his party. PDP is crumbling, LP has crumbled. Where does he want to go?”
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
