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Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the NDC, has rejected reports that he turned down an offer to become Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.
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Obi said any alliance involving his NDC, Atiku’s ADC and other opposition parties must be negotiated and structured by the political parties themselves.
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The former Anambra State governor said he remains open to any opposition arrangement capable of making Nigeria productive and united.
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Obi also rejected ethnic, religious and “turn-by-turn” calculations in the 2027 presidential contest, promising to accept defeat if the election is free, fair and credible, while maintaining that he won the 2023 presidential election.
September 10, (THEWILL) – Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has ruled out any attempt to reduce a possible opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election to a personal arrangement between himself and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Obi, who is seeking the presidency on the NDC platform, also dismissed reports that he rejected an offer to become Atiku’s running mate, insisting that no such proposal was made to him.
THEWILL reports that Obi clarified during an interview on Arise TV while responding to questions about the possibility of another alliance among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 election.
According to Obi, the political reality has changed significantly from the period when he and Atiku, alongside other opposition leaders, were working together to build a broad coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In 2025, Obi, Atiku and other opposition figures came together under the ADC as part of an effort to establish a formidable opposition platform ahead of the 2027 election.
The arrangement, however, subsequently fractured, with Obi emerging as the presidential candidate of the NDC, while Atiku became the presidential candidate of the ADC.
The development has left the opposition with multiple presidential candidates and revived questions over whether the various blocs could still negotiate a single platform or candidate capable of mounting a serious challenge to President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
But Obi said such negotiations should no longer be framed around whether he would personally step down for Atiku or accept the vice-presidential slot.
“I’m a candidate, yes. So, my leader, Atiku, is a candidate of another party. I am a candidate for another party. So, you are talking about two parties coming together; it is no longer him or me,” he said.
He stressed that the responsibility for negotiating any alliance rests with the political parties.
“All those parties have candidates. So, it is a discussion. It is no longer me, as Peter is talking. It is like a situation where two corporations are trying to come together.
“It is no longer something where the two CEOs go for a drink and say we are going to work together. They need to look at how to bring these two corporations together,” Obi said.
No Running Mate Offer
Obi also denied reports that he had rejected an offer to become Atiku’s running mate.
“I don’t know where that was said. I wasn’t even in a position where that was being offered, and I refused,” he said.
The issue has attracted attention because of the political history between the two men.
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‘I’ll Back Coalition That Makes Nigeria Work’
Obi said he would support an alliance based on a clear commitment to addressing Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges.
“I want to be part of any coalition that will make Nigeria work. That will make Nigeria productive. That will create jobs for the young ones. That will pull people out of poverty. That will make education work,” he said.
He also identified national unity, the rule of law, order, accountable leadership, education, healthcare and job creation as priorities that should guide any political arrangement.
Obi Rejects ‘Turn-By-Turn’ Presidency
Obi further rejected the argument that the presidency should be allocated according to a “turn-by-turn” arrangement among Nigeria’s ethnic or regional blocs.
He maintained that Nigerians should elect leaders based on competence and capacity rather than tribe or religion.
“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria.
“I have the competence; I have been all over the world studying what it takes to be president of a country, and I know what I can do to turn around this country in the right direction,” he said.
He cited his educational exposure at institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Kellogg, saying his qualifications should be subjected to scrutiny.
“You can look at our qualifications in terms of training. I’ve been to the best schools from all over the world, from Oxford to Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia, and Kellogg, and I’ve been everywhere, and every certificate I’m showing you is the way it is. If they find anyone wrong, I will drop from the race,” he said.
‘I Won 2023 Election’
The NDC candidate also said he would accept the outcome of the 2027 election if the process is transparent and credible.
“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.
However, Obi again maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, despite the official declaration of Tinubu as the winner.
“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” he said.
‘Nobody Born Outside 1960 Has Been President’
Obi also criticised what he described as the failure of Nigeria’s political system to transfer presidential power to a younger generation.
“Since 1960, nobody born outside 1960 has been president of Nigeria. This is 66 years of independence; no other country in the world has had this happen to them, and they tell youths they’re the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
