Obi denies rejecting Atiku’s VP offer
Obi Denies Rejecting Vice Presidential Offer, Discusses Alliance Potential
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has refuted claims that he rejected an offer to be the running mate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the upcoming 2027 elections.
In an interview with Arise TV, Obi addressed questions regarding potential alliances among opposition parties as the election draws near. He noted that the matter has evolved beyond individual candidates.
“I’m a candidate, yes. So, my leader, Atiku, is a candidate of another party. I am a candidate for another party. So, you are talking about two parties coming together; it is no longer him or me,” Obi stated.
In 2025, Obi, Atiku, and other opposition leaders had formed a coalition within the ADC, which later dissolved, leading to Obi becoming the NDC’s presidential candidate and Atiku representing the ADC.
When asked whether he would consider stepping down for Atiku or accepting a vice-presidential role if an alliance were to form, Obi emphasized the need for negotiations to occur between the political parties rather than solely between individual candidates.
“All those parties have candidates. So, it is a discussion. It is no longer me, as Peter is talking. It is like a situation where two corporations are trying to come together. It is no longer something the two CEOs go to a drink and say we are going to work together. They need to look at how to bring these two corporations together,” he explained.
Obi also clarified statements made in previous discussions regarding his willingness to accept a vice-presidential position. “I don’t know where that was said. I wasn’t even in a position where that was being offered, and I refused,” he said.
Previously, Obi served as Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election. In the 2023 elections, however, they ran on different platforms, with Obi representing the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obi expressed his willingness to support any coalition dedicated to fostering national unity, upholding the rule of law, ensuring accountable leadership, and enhancing education, healthcare, and job creation in Nigeria. “I want to be part of any coalition that will make Nigeria work. That will make Nigeria productive. That will create jobs for the young ones. That will pull people out of poverty. That will make education work,” he remarked.
