The attempt by Mr. Peter Obi to become Nigeria’s president is no doubt one of the major shifts in our political history in recent times. It defies all the odds and created a new philosophy in our body polity that no one ever imagined.
In 2023 he debuted for presidency on the platform of the Labour party after a failed collaboration with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a running mate for the Vice Presidential slot of the People’s Democratic Party in 2019 against the then President, Muhammad u Buhari.
However, event took another dimension when in 2023 he rather stood as a sole candidate to become the president of the country, a feat seen by many as a wild goose chase because of his obscurity in national politics because many thought his only credential was becoming the former governor of Anambra state on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance which was a regional party with no national spread.
The uncertainty of his ambition was amplified by the choice of his political party “The Labour Party” which was not a popular party with no elected officials at any level which gave naysayers the audacity to think Obi was up for a joke.
Going forward, the shocker came, the wave of the campaign was unprecedented, it defied all permutations and Obi became an enigma, commanded a cult like following to the jitters of the ruling party All Progressives Congress which had Bola Ahmed Tinubu as their presidential candidate. The wave of the campaign placed Obi at an unexpected position favoured to become the president of the country.
That dream didn’t come through as Obi emerged third place after Atiku Abubakar who came second and Bola Tinubu emerged the president. Obi is poised to become the president of the country as he has also indicated interest in becoming the president once again in 2027 despite his fall out which Labour party which informed his nomadic political lifestyle with his final destination at Nigeria Democratic Congress. A development many think would affect his chances in 2027 but that is left to be seen given the performance he put up in 2023 with Labour party, many felt he would have capitalized on that success story rather he defected to the ADC, worked out of the coalition talks and pitched his tent with the NDC. Though many believed a single front against Bola Tinubu without any form of alliance will hand him the presidency on the plater of gold. Obi believes he has a chance and never yielded to all that.
Consequently, I am forced to ask at this juncture, where does Obi stand in respect to 2027 election? In what appears to be an endorsement rally of the candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement Gov. Seyi Makinde and his running mate, Obi spoke at the inauguration of their campaign office in Abuja and urged the people to support them. Leaving many confused, why should a presidential candidate endorse another, is it a ploy to step down for Makinde or is Makinde masquerading as a candidate to later collapse his structure for Obi? You might want to ask. I haven’t seen a thing like this. Imagine a Coca-Cola executive marketing for Seven Up Bottling Company, what do you think will happen to such a person?
Peter Obi left many bewildered by his attendance of the event and subsequent endorsement of Seyi Makinde and his vice. Many are asking that how can a candidate leave his ambition and he his talking about another candidate, it is confusing, what brand of politics is that, is Obi ambitious and politically jealous enough? Many are questioning his seriousness to become the president of the country. A Bola Ahmed Tinubu wouldn’t mistake his candidacy or sacrifice his ambition at the altar of any friendship.
Does Nigeria’s political climate permit what Obi did or is doing? Many expected Obi will guard his ambition jealously not posturing as a good person and creating a forum of a rancour free politics and also entrenching politics without bitterness and inclusivity. Can one win against a Bola Tinubu with this mindset? Questions upon questions as we march towards January 2027 presidential election.
Where does Obi stand? Is he a candidate or he is likely to step down for someone else or Seyi Makinde is a placeholder who may also concede to Obi by collapsing his structure for Obi in the coming days. In politics, they said, anything can happen and 24 hours is enough time for any thing to happen.
Sunny Onaji, is a Broadcast Journalist with Silverbird communications, Rhythm 94.7FM Abuja, a Podcaster, consummate writer, publisher, Solnews.ng and a Social Commentator/Public Affairs Analyst. Follow us for more updates on Facebook and connect with us on all other social media handle
