Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is said to have offered Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential contender for 2023, the position of vice president on a combined single-term ticket.
Reliable sources involved in the coalition preparations, who asked for anonymity owing to a lack of authority to comment on the issue, revealed that the concept was first broached during a meeting between Atiku and Obi in the United Kingdom earlier this year.
According to insiders, Atiku has committed to serving a single four-year term, and Obi has agreed to be the former VP’s running mate.
However, the former governor of Anambra State was believed to be working to clinch the support of his core allies.
Obi was Atiku’s running partner in the 2019 presidential election for the Peoples Democratic Party; however, they were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress.
On March 20, Atiku, Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and other leaders in Abuja announced the establishment of a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The declaration triggered extensive debate regarding the chances for opposition unity, with political stakeholders voicing differing views.
Nearly two months later, Nigerians are still waiting to hear from political leaders, as both Atiku’s PDP and Obi’s LP are embroiled in internal political conflicts.
A party official familiar with the political developments stated that Atiku and Obi have reached an accord and are currently consulting with their supporters.
He said, “You know that by this time next year, by May 2026, almost all parties will have unveiled their presidential candidates for the 2027 elections. So, the coalition move is mindful of that.
“The leaders have all agreed that it’s only a coalition between Atiku, Obi, and others that can wrest power from Tinubu. So, they are crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s to finalise this.
“Atiku and Obi met earlier this year in the UK. That was where Atiku first mooted the idea of a coalition and urged Obi to be his running mate. Obi then asked for time to think it over and consult his loyalists.
“But recent developments show that Obi has accepted to be Atiku’s running mate, and Atiku has also agreed to serve a single four-year term and hand over to the former Anambra State governor. They have mutually agreed to sign a written agreement if necessary. Obi is trying to get the buy-in of his loyalists before this is formally announced.”
In response to enquiries regarding the political platform they plan to adopt, particularly in light of the ongoing crises within both the PDP and LP, another source indicated that they are contemplating the African Democratic Congress.
“The crisis in PDP and LP is frustrating. While they are both making efforts and waiting to see if the crisis can be resolved in favour of their camps, they are both looking at possible political parties to run on.
“The Social Democratic Party was part of the plans before now, but it seems the ruling APC has also infiltrated the party. So, they are tilting towards the ADC. As a matter of fact, some of the loyalists have been meeting with the ADC leadership, and others have quietly joined the party. So, if things do not favour them in LP and PDP, they may join ADC.”
Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, stated that he could not speak on the agreement reached between the two opposition leaders.
Ibe stated, “I know that His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi have been talking about the coalition. I cannot speak on the specific agreement they have reached.
“All I can tell you is that both of them are focused on ensuring that they build a viable coalition that will be robust enough to accommodate diverse Nigerians to unseat the clueless APC government in 2027.”
Peter Ahmeh, a loyalist of Obi and the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, refrained from commenting on the single four-year term agreement. However, he did clarify that the former Anambra State governor is collaborating with others to address the ongoing crisis within the Labour Party.
In response to the inquiry about whether an agreement has been finalised for Obi to be Atiku’s running mate, Ahmeh simply said, “No comment on this one, until I speak with my oga.”
He continued, “My position on this remains that, for us to defeat the APC, we must follow the rules of engagement so we don’t allow Tinubu to become the landlord in the southern part of Nigeria when we have somebody who can defeat him effortlessly.
“We are in the LP as we speak, and that is the option available to accommodate everyone because you cannot sleep in a hostile environment and expect to succeed.
“We know there were hostile conditions created to undermine Peter Obi, but he is still in the Labour Party and is committed to making sure we get the APC out of government in 2027.
“As for the LP, the Supreme Court has spoken, and Abure’s term has elapsed. So, they can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand. LP will survive.”
When asked for a comment on the Atiku-Obi joint ticket, the National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, stated that no such matter is currently being considered.
“As far as I am concerned, after I met with him in Benin, there was nothing of this nature on the table. He has not shared with me any of this particular issue. Neither has he called nor talked to me about it. In fact, not too long ago, I just spoke with him.
“So, there is nothing, as far as I am concerned, to confirm that such a discussion is on the table at the moment.”
