2027 : Atiku’s men zero in on Obi, Amaechi as running mate

A camp in the African Democratic Party aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has begun searching for a running mate from the South ahead of the 2027 presidential election,

Sources familiar with the development said the group is primarily considering the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. If Obi declines, attention may shift to former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

One of Atiku’s close associates, Mr Dele Momodu, told one of our correspondents on Saturday that Obi should collaborate with Atiku in a bid to defeat President Bola Tinubu.

Momodu described the pair as the most formidable alliance capable of challenging the All Progressives Congress’ grip on federal power. Atiku and Obi previously ran on a joint PDP ticket in 2019 but lost to then-President Muhammadu Buhari. In 2023, they contested separately—Atiku on the PDP platform and Obi under the LP—ultimately losing to Tinubu.

READ ALSO:Real reason Atiku left PDP -Wike

With Atiku now formally in the ADC and Obi still with LP, Momodu insisted that both men must unite before the next election cycle.

He blamed what he termed the hesitation of both sides on Obi’s supporters, adding, “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 in 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,” he stated.

Momodu warned that delays could push Atiku to settle for Amaechi. 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.”
He added that Atiku and Obi still maintain frequent communication. According to him, “I have told Obi. There is no time.

“The person you want to dislodge is already a 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?”

However, the spokesman for Peter Obi and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Mr Yunusa Tanko, reiterated the former Anambra governor’s readiness for another presidential contest.

Speaking on the issue, Tanko said the Atiku camp must clarify its expectations from Obi if any partnership is to be considered. He hinted that a joint ticket may not be realistic, arguing that a strong Southern candidate stands the best chance of defeating Tinubu.

He said, “It all depends on what terms they want Obi to team up with them. At the moment, we are looking for a leader who has the capacity to move around the country to deal with the issues.

“Nigerians need a president who has the mobility and depth in knowing what is wrong with the country. When we team up together, there must be a dimension to what exactly we are doing together. If that is a discussion on the table, then we can begin to talk.

“To secure Nigeria, we need a capable leader who has the ability to fix things. Obi has these qualities. We must understand that the Presidency is already in the South. We need to give support to Mr Peter Obi to complete the four years of the South. This is the continuation we need this time.”

Tanko added that Obi is committed to serving a single term if elected.

A principal aide to Amaechi, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the former minister is aiming for the ADC presidential ticket. He noted, however, that many factors could shift before the party’s primary season begins, adding that discussions about a vice-presidential role remain premature.

He said, “ADC is eyeing bloc votes from the north, and for them to get that, it would be better to run a candidate from the area. Amaechi’s eye is on the presidential ticket. But politics is dynamic; a lot will change as we approach the primary. Discussion about the presidential ticket is not yet ripe. Let’s wait.”

Another ally of the former governor, who also requested anonymity, said, “We need to calculate well because we have to be honest with ourselves: can Amaechi beat Atiku in the primary? If that is not a possibility, going for a deal before the primary may not be bad. Accepting Atiku’s running mate position may not be a bad idea. There will be too many brushes after the primary, so it is better to have a deal before the primary.”

He added, “With what you’re seeing, will Obi run the primary against Atiku in the ADC? And if he can’t get the ADC ticket, I don’t see him as somebody who will accept a running mate slot. That is why he is delaying his move to join the party. But we will have a better picture next year, and Amaechi is the best option for Atiku as running mate.”

Amaechi’s media aide, David Iyofor, declined to comment, and both Amaechi and ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi were unavailable for response.

(PUNCH)