The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has confirmed that he will run for the presidency in the 2027 general election.
He firmly rejected speculations that he might team up with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a vice-presidential candidate.
Speaking during an appearance on Sunday Politics, Obi declared he will contest for the presidency because he’s fully qualified and prepared for the role.
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When asked whether he was considering the possibility of becoming Atiku’s running mate, Obi dismissed the idea.
“That has never come up. No one has approached me with such a proposal. People are just speculating,” he said.
Obi, who previously served as governor of Anambra State, reiterated his loyalty to the Labour Party while also maintaining his active involvement in the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-backed coalition formed by opposition figures with the goal of unseating President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
“I am fully committed to the coalition’s mission to present a presidential candidate with the competence and compassion required to rescue this nation,” he said.
Obi added that he would need no more than four years to deliver impactful governance.
He stressed that the damage done to the country in the past two years can be reversed within the same time frame.
“In two years, so much harm has been done. But two years is also enough to begin real change. Nigerians deserve a president who genuinely cares about their well-being and can lead with empathy,” he stated.
The opposition coalition gained significant traction on 2 July when Atiku, Obi, former Senate President David Mark, former ministers Rauf Aregbesola and Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai publicly endorsed the ADC as the platform to challenge Tinubu, whose administration has been widely criticised for worsening economic conditions, record-breaking inflation, and a sharp rise in the cost of living.
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The coalition’s strategy is to capitalise on the combined strength of the votes secured by Atiku and Obi in the 2023 elections.
Collectively, the two candidates polled over 12 million votes, which was more than four million votes ahead of Tinubu’s total, though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ultimately declared Tinubu the winner.
Addressing claims that the coalition is composed of outdated politicians and former government insiders, Obi argued that their experience remains invaluable.
According to Obi, both success and failure offer critical insights.
“We need people with all kinds of experience—those who know where the system broke down and those who know how to fix it. That knowledge is essential for moving the country forward,” he said.
