As reported by The Punch, the apex pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, gave this warning while reacting to Obi’s meeting with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other bigwigs of the opposition party in Nigeria, especially from the northern region.
Recall that Peter Obi said the closed-door meeting with Atiku and other PDP bigwigs was to discuss the state of the nation and how to reduce Nigerians’ suffering.
In a swift reaction, Ohanaeze expressed surprise and scrutiny over Obi’s recent political activities, which have hinted at potential opposition party alignments aimed at unseating President Tinubu in 2027, The Guardian reported.
In a statement issued on Thursday, May 16, by its secretary-general, Okechukwu Isiguzoro,the Igbo group noted that Obi’s community projects and participation in Muslim ceremonies have been perceived as steps to fortify his political stature in the North ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, the group offered a sobering voice of caution to Obi regarding the inherent risks and uncertainties that accompany his relentless pursuit of Northern connections, ThisDay reported.
“Observers have closely monitored the subtle political trajectory of Mr Obi over the past nine months, particularly in the core North-West and North-East regions, where he has strategic humanitarian initiatives with political intentions to garner broader northern acceptance and articulate his vision for the upcoming presidential elections.
“The Northern political establishment, religious scholars, and traditional institutions harbour reservations towards Mr Obi for several notable reasons,” the statement said.
Reno Omokri explains why Atiku, others won’t contest with Peter Obi
In a similar development, TheTalk.NG reported that Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, said no northerner will agree to contest the presidency alongside Peter Obi in the 2027 elections.
According to Omokri, Atiku Abubakar, NNPP flagbearer Rabiu Kankwaso, and the former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai will not be willing to work with Obi as many speculated.
Omokri wondered about the significance of Obi’s rapprochement with Northern powerbrokers in the PDP. He stressed that “right now, Peter Obi (he) is tainted.”
