Former Anambra State governor and presidential aspirant under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that he is avoiding former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi spoke on Friday in Cape Town during the Spier Dialogue 2026, where he described Atiku as a respected leader and close associate.
“There are very few human beings who are as close as I am to Atiku. So I can’t be running from him. This man is my very respected leader and elder brother.
“I don’t run from him. Never. It has nothing to do with running from anybody. I’ve never run from anybody. I just believe that I do things differently,” Obi said.
The comments come amid speculation over the state of their political relationship following the collapse of their coalition alliance.
Both politicians had earlier adopted the African Democratic Congress as a coalition platform to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Obi officially joined the ADC on January 1, 2026, with Atiku welcoming the move and describing it as a major step in opposition coalition-building.
However, the alliance later broke down after Obi cited unresolved internal disagreements and persistent legal disputes within the party as reasons for his departure.
Obi maintained that his exit from the ADC was not linked to personal differences with Atiku or the party’s chairman, David Mark.
Following the split, Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, where both politicians called for an end to litigation-driven politics in the country.