The former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Political Matters, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has outlined the critical adjustments former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi must make if he is to emerge as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential flagbearer in 2027.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, Baba-Ahmed stressed that while Obi remains a formidable political figure with widespread visibility and strong grassroots appeal.
He said his current approach may prove inadequate in the increasingly competitive coalition environment within the ADC.
Baba-Ahmed acknowledged Obi’s relentless nationwide engagement, describing him as “the most travelled politician I’ve seen in recent times.”
He praised this strategy, noting that Obi’s efforts to maintain close contact with the grassroots have served him well and bolstered his public profile.
However, the former presidential adviser cautioned that Obi and his team are “not helping his case” by failing to adapt to the new realities of the race.
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He pointed out that the ADC coalition now features seasoned, hardline politicians who are equally determined to secure the presidential ticket.
“What he needs to do now is to sit down with his people and come to terms with the fact that he’s now running against hardline politicians who also have eyes on the same thing he has his eyes on,” Baba-Ahmed advised.
He emphasised the need for Obi to recalibrate his political strategy to navigate the complex dynamics of a coalition primary, where negotiation, alliance-building, and pragmatic engagement with established political actors will be essential.
Baba-Ahmed’s remarks underscore the view among some political observers that Obi’s considerable personal popularity and mobilisation skills must be complemented by a more sophisticated understanding of coalition politics and deal-making if he is to prevail in what promises to be a fiercely contested nomination process.
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