Political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has issued a firm public ultimatum, stating he will withdraw his support for Peter Obi should the former presidential candidate agree to run as a vice-presidential candidate in the 2027 election.
Utomi made the declaration on Thursday during an interview on Channels Televisionโs Politics Today, where he expressed unwavering conviction that Obi would contest for the presidency, not the vice-presidency.
โI can tell you that Peter Obi will contest for the presidency. The day he becomes somebodyโs vice president, I walk away from his corner. I can tell you that for a fact,โ Utomi stated emphatically.
His comments come just a day after Peter Obi formally announced his defection from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu, signaling a new phase in his political journey to โrescueโ the country.
Utomiโs stance adds a significant dimension to the evolving political narrative, indirectly addressing speculation and concernsโraised by some supporters and critics like Minister Festus Keyamoโabout potential zoning arrangements or a vice-presidential alliance within the ADC, a party that also includes figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
During the interview, Utomi also broadened his critique, arguing for an age limit of 70 years for presidential and gubernatorial candidates.
He described the Nigerian presidency as having become a โretirement home,โ a criticism he extended to the administrations of former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, whom he characterized as leading โgovernment-in-absentia.โ
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