By John Ije
Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially declared his intention to contest for the presidency in the 2027 general election, shutting down widespread speculation about a possible vice-presidential bid.
Speaking during a live interview segment titled One-On-One with Peter Obi on Sunday Politics, aired by Channels Television in Abuja, Obi stated categorically:
> “I’m going to contest for the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I believe I am qualified for it. Nobody has ever discussed me becoming a vice president. That is not in play.”
Obi, who garnered massive youth support during the 2023 elections, added that if elected, he would serve only one term of four years.
“I don’t need a day more than four years. I will show the direction of good governance. In two years, there has been maximum damage; in two years, we can change it in the right direction.”
He emphasized the need for compassionate and responsive leadership, lamenting what he described as the current administration’s insensitivity to the plight of citizens.
“We live in a country where leadership has no compassion. Several children died in the Ibadan explosion on December 18, 2023, and on the 19th, the President was in Lagos for Christmas festivities. That’s not leadership.”
Obi, a key figure in the recently announced opposition coalition spearheaded by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), affirmed his continued membership in the Labour Party, while reiterating his commitment to the broader coalition’s mission to rescue Nigeria.
He further criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its handling of security, rising debt levels, fuel subsidy removal, and what he described as reckless government spending on luxury items.
“Non-state actors cannot be stronger than the Nigerian state. From day one, I will declare war on insecurity and pull people out of poverty through economic reforms and job creation.”
Obi also pledged to focus on electricity, agriculture, and rural development, particularly in northern Nigeria, which he described as the country's "greatest asset" due to its vast landmass.
In a swift response, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, dismissed Obi’s 2027 ambition, declaring that his political time had passed.
Speaking at a thanksgiving service in Abuja, Wike said: “They had eight years in office and did nothing. Now they want to rescue Nigeria? Their time is gone. The church almost made a huge mistake in 2023, but God intervened.”
Wike also accused Obi of lacking democratic credentials, claiming he never conducted local government elections throughout his eight-year tenure as Anambra governor.
> “That one you defined as democracy? You were the governor and the sole administrator of all LGAs. And now you say democracy isn’t working?”
