2027: Peter Obi made mistake joining NDC; I don’t trust Dickson - Henry Shield
Political analyst Henry Shield characterized Peter Obi’s recent decision to align with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in advance of the 2027 presidential election as a strategic misstep. Speaking on AIT’s Political Platform on Wednesday, Shield expressed skepticism regarding the support touted by former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson for the former Anambra State governor.
Shield raised concerns about the NDC’s reluctance to actively promote Obi as its presidential candidate, noting that rival political parties have begun promoting their candidates in earnest. “When Tinubu was the national leader, Bisi Akande was addressing the public, while Tinubu coordinated behind the scenes. Dickson is at the forefront of everything,” he stated.
He emphasized that the NDC’s presidential candidate should receive a level of promotion comparable to that enjoyed by President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). “Every party at this time is marketing its candidate. The APC has the Renewed Hope agenda, and much of the ADC’s focus is on Atiku. Yet, the NDC has not officially accepted that Peter Obi is its presidential candidate,” he said.
“What does it cost the party to market Peter, who is their candidate?” Shield questioned, reiterating his doubts about Dickson’s loyalty to Obi’s campaign despite the former governor’s public endorsements.
Shield further noted that Dickson had previously alluded to his own qualifications for the presidency, a statement that he argued raises questions about his commitment to Obi’s candidacy. “Dickson was on TV suggesting he was as qualified as Peter Obi to run for president, which might be true,” he remarked.
In addition, Shield criticized the NDC’s focus on defensive statements regarding its internal structure rather than on Obi’s promotion as the election approaches. “All these press statements. Check their last ten press releases. They have been about ‘You cannot come and hijack…’ No one is trying to hijack your party. Some individuals misbehaved, and the party structure should address that,” he said.
Shield concluded by warning that Obi’s choice to join the NDC could be detrimental. “With only three months until the election, Peter made a significant strategic error by joining the NDC. I will be on record stating this. He has not made decisions like a seasoned Nigerian politician and may find himself overshadowed,” he said.
