2027: Obi’s camp draws red line, rules out VP role, says it’s ‘presidency or nothing’

By : 'Sola Akinsanmi

Date: 4 January 2026 9:00am WAT

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Peter Obi

Peter Obi

The Obidient Movement has clarified that it will not support former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as a vice-presidential candidate to any politician, insisting that its backing is exclusively for his emergence as president of Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.

The statement, issued on Saturday, comes in response to what the movement described as “deliberate misrepresentations and malicious propaganda” following comments by its National Coordinator, Dr Tanko Yunusa. Yunusa had earlier indicated in an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief that the Obidient Movement would remain within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and respect the outcome of the party’s presidential primary, even if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the candidate.

“As democrats, we will go in there and contest equitably well with every contestant based on democratic tenets. We believe that at the end of it all, Mr Peter Obi will come out on top with the large teeming population that he is bringing into the ADC,” Yunusa said during the interview.

However, some interpreted Yunusa’s remarks as signalling a willingness for Obi to accept a vice-presidential role under Atiku, prompting the movement to restate its position.

“Our attention has been drawn to deliberate misrepresentations and malicious propaganda arising from a recent interview granted by Dr Tanko Yunusa,” the Obidient Movement said in its statement titled The Peter Obi Presidency: A Joint Project of All Nigerians. “The ideals, energy, and collective resolve of the Obidient Movement are unequivocally committed to the presidential aspiration of Mr Peter Obi.”

The group emphasised that while it currently operates within the ADC, its loyalty is to Obi’s leadership vision rather than any political platform.

“Let it be stated clearly and without ambiguity: The Obidient Movement is not mobilised to support Mr Peter Obi as a vice-presidential candidate to anyone. Our support is exclusively for his emergence as President of Nigeria,” the statement said. The clarification echoes recent warnings from Obi ally, Professor Pat Utomi, who said he would withdraw support if the former governor accepted a deputy role.

“Peter Obi will contest for the presidency. The day he becomes somebody’s vice president, I will walk away from his corner. I can tell you that for a fact,” Utomi declared during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. Utomi also criticised the trend of older politicians treating the presidency as a “retirement home” and proposed an age limit of 70 years for executive offices, asserting that the role requires both physical strength and mental agility.

“Nobody over the age of 70 should run for an executive position, whether it be governor or president,” he said. While older politicians could continue to contribute in legislative capacities, Utomi insisted, the presidency should not be reserved for those seeking medical or personal comfort.

The Obidient Movement concluded by stating that it would abide by the outcome of a transparent and credible ADC presidential primary, but it would take “a united, lawful, and democratic decision” should the process be compromised. “Wherever Mr Peter Obi, acting within the law and guided by conscience, chooses to pursue his presidential mandate, the Obidient Movement will move with him,” the statement affirmed.

As political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, Obi’s positioning in the ADC coalition continues to attract national attention, with his supporters determined to see him lead as the country’s next president.

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