The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has explained why he would not step down for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi said the issue could no longer be treated as a personal decision between him and Atiku because both politicians are now presidential candidates of different political parties.
The former Anambra State governor made the clarification during an interview with Arise Television aired on Thursday while speaking on political developments and other national issues.
Responding to whether he would consider withdrawing his presidential ambition in favour of Atiku, Obi said any possible arrangement would have to involve the political parties rather than the individual candidates.
He explained that both the NDC and ADC had their own presidential candidates, making any decision to merge their interests a matter for the parties to negotiate.
According to Obi, the situation had gone beyond two politicians simply agreeing to work together, as any agreement would have implications for the political organisations they represent.
He said the current stage of the political process required discussions between the parties if there was to be any form of collaboration ahead of the election.
Obi and Atiku have previously worked together politically. In the 2019 presidential election, Atiku contested the presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Obi serving as his running mate.
The PDP ticket, however, lost the election to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
With preparations for the 2027 presidential election gathering momentum, opposition politicians and political groups have continued to explore possible alliances aimed at challenging the ruling APC.
Obi has, however, maintained that he has not agreed to serve as Atiku’s running mate in the forthcoming election.
The NDC presidential candidate also rejected claims that he had previously been offered the opportunity to become Atiku’s running mate and turned it down.
He said such an offer was never formally made to him, stressing that he could not have rejected an arrangement that was not presented to him while he was a member of another political party.
Obi said his earlier comments on the matter had been misrepresented and insisted that his position was clear.
His latest clarification comes amid continuing speculation over the possibility of opposition parties working together before the 2027 presidential election.
The discussions have focused largely on whether major opposition figures can reach an agreement on a single presidential candidate capable of mounting a strong challenge against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is seeking another term.
Obi’s comments suggest that any decision regarding the withdrawal of a presidential candidate would have to emerge from formal discussions among the political parties involved.
As political realignments continue ahead of 2027, the question of whether opposition parties can overcome individual ambitions and agree on a common platform is expected to remain a major issue in Nigeria’s political discourse.
