Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, has warned that Peter Obi stands no chance against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election unless opposition parties unite behind a single candidate.
Okonkwo stated that the NDC flagbearer “would be eaten like biscuit” if he goes against Tinubu alone.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate, who now leads the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket, would be crushed by Tinubu’s political machinery without a broad coalition backing him, Okonkwo said during an interview with Ibeju Upgrade Media.
He argued that the opposition’s only viable path to victory lies in presenting a united front rather than fielding multiple candidates that would split the anti-APC vote.
Describing Tinubu as a seasoned political tactician, Okonkwo said the President understands that power is not handed over on a platter.
“You fight for it, you grab it, you snatch it, you run away with it,” he remarked, warning that a fragmented opposition would play directly into the ruling party’s hands.
He stressed that coalition-building remains the only realistic strategy for unseating the incumbent in 2027.
Okonkwo also raised doubts about Obi’s ability to command significant support in northern Nigeria, particularly in Kano State, where the former Anambra governor managed only 28,513 votes in the 2023 presidential election.
He suggested that Obi’s poor performance in the northwest would likely repeat itself in 2027, making a solo run a risky gamble. He further dismissed Rabiu Kwankwaso’s potential as Obi’s running mate, asserting that the former Kano governor no longer wields the political influence he once had in the region.
The statement comes amid renewed discussions among opposition figures about forming a coalition ahead of the 2027 polls.
The G100 Opposition Coalition, spearheaded by Salihu Lukman, has been pushing for a united challenge against the APC, though past efforts have collapsed due to disagreements among key players.
Atiku Abubakar remains the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Obi and Kwankwaso have pitched their tent with the NDC, leaving opposition forces once again divided.
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