Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has dismissed the notion of stepping down for his African Democratic Congress (ADC) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that any decision regarding an opposition alliance rests strictly with party structures rather than individual politicians.
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, the former Anambra State governor addressed the 2027 general election, opposition coalition efforts, national unity, security, and economic governance.
Despite their history as joint candidates on the Peoples Democratic Party ticket in 2019 and their involvement in the 2025 coalition that adopted the ADC, the two politicians eventually parted ways to secure separate tickets. The divergence renewed intense public speculation over whether one former ally would yield to the other to consolidate the opposition against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Obi explained that the situation has evolved beyond individual preferences because both men represent separate corporate entities with their own candidates. Comparing the process to two corporations seeking a merger, he noted that such an arrangement cannot be finalized over a casual drink between chief executives, as both parties must formally sit down to work out how to integrate their structures.
Obi also clarified his past interactions with Atiku, denying that he had ever been offered or turned down the vice-presidential slot, stating that he was never in a position where such an offer was made for him to refuse.
The NDC flagbearer addressed the Tinubu administration’s contentious June 2023 currency reform, which allowed market forces to determine the exchange rate. The move led to a sharp depreciation of the local currency, spiking inflation and squeezing household incomes. Obi stated that he would retain the floating of the naira rather than attempt to defend it artificially, promising instead to boost national productivity to restore the currency’s value. He reiterated his long-standing stance that Nigeria must shift from a consumption-driven economy to one focused on domestic production, agriculture, and exports.
On regional politics and national cohesion, Obi urged the electorate to reject tribal sentiment during the 2027 campaign. Seeking to reassure voters in Northern Nigeria, he highlighted the region’s immense agricultural potential, asserting that the country could generate more wealth from farming than from crude oil. While dismissing historical grievances and attempts to link him to the 1966 military coup, noting he was only four years old at the time, Obi called for unity and a forward-looking approach to governance.
Obi was equally critical of the current administration’s leadership style, taking aim at the practice of sitting Nigerian presidents vacationing abroad. He pledged to mandate that any president stay within the country during leave to engage directly with citizens in regions battling insecurity and economic hardship. He argued that a leader should spend several nights in troubled states like Benue, Zamfara, Borno, or Anambra to engage deeply with local stakeholders, pointing out that a British Prime Minister would face political ruin for taking a holiday in Germany.