The African Democratic Party (ADC) grouping of former vice president Atiku Abubakar has started looking for a leader from the South to be his running mate in the 2027 presidential contest.
Sunday Punch reported that the group has focused on Labour Party candidate Peter Obi for 2023.
There are signs that Atiku would take former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi into consideration if Obi turned down the offer.
Veteran journalist Dele Momodu, a political buddy of Atiku’s, publicly pushed Obi to join Atiku in creating a powerful opposition coalition to overthrow the ruling party in an interview with Punch.
According to Momodu, Atiku and Obi are the two leaders who can form the most powerful coalition Nigeria has witnessed since the 2019 election.
Remember that in 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, but they were defeated by then-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Momodu bemoaned his dissatisfaction at what he called “public pushback” from Obi’s fans, whom he attributed to the delay in finalizing the potential matchup before 2027.
“That is why they are trying to make every party have only southern candidates,” he stated. Strong pushback from the North is not what they desire. Tinubu cannot be defeated by any contender from the South.
“I told Peter Obi this. We’ve had multiple meetings at my homes in Ghana and Lagos. It would be quite regrettable if Peter Obi did not take advantage of a ready-made partnership between him and Atiku. Coming back would be just as fantastic as working for Tinubu.
Momodu warned that Obi would lose out on a big political chance if he waits, and that Atiku might accept Amaechi as his running mate.
“Many people are undervaluing Amaechi,” he stated. Buhari was given power by Amaechi alone. Amaechi performed admirably when serving as governor of Rivers State, despite what Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike is currently doing in a rowdy manner. Amaechi mobilized more people for Buhari than anyone else—even more than Tinubu. I think Rotimi Amaechi may take over if Obi doesn’t decide or decides to run alone.
Momodu stated, “I have told Obi,” on attempts to bring the two men together politically. Time is of the essence.
“The President is already the person you wish to remove. He possesses everything. He is persuading or forcing the senators and governors to support him. He wants to claim that everyone adores him as a fake alibi. He is skilled at what he does.
“He wants to paint a false picture of someone who is unbeatable so that when they are successful in their manipulation, they will ask, ‘What did you expect?'”
They lost Lagos to Obi in 2023 despite all of their antics. Gov. Ademola Adeleke defeated them in Osun. Obi must decide. I’m not aware of his party as of yet. LP has collapsed, and PDP is collapsing. What is his desired destination?
