Amid speculation about a potential coalition among opposition leaders to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stated that his focus is solely on a coalition against hunger, poverty, and Nigeria’s struggling healthcare and education sectors.
During a visit to the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kubwa in Abuja on Monday, Obi underscored that he is not driven by a desperation for political office.
“I am in a coalition against hunger, in coalition against poverty, coalition against bad state of health. Politics for me is not about position, it is about doing the right thing.
“In this country we talk about politics and abandon what we should be talking about. What we should be talking about is how we are going to educate the children,” he said.
Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election behind President Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dismissed speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 election. Many believe such an alliance between Obi, Atiku, and other opposition parties could unseat Tinubu.
The former Anambra State governor refuted claims of any agreement to run as a vice-presidential candidate in 2027, describing such suggestions as politically selfish and harmful to Nigeria’s progress.
During his visit to the Anglican Diocese of Kubwa, Obi made a financial contribution to support a school project, highlighting the church’s role in providing quality basic education where the government has failed.
Following his attendance at the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, Obi was seen exchanging pleasantries with President Tinubu and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi. Addressing this, he clarified that his actions were a matter of protocol and not a sign of political alignment.
Obi reiterated that his only adversary is corruption and the corrupt leadership that has caused immense hardship for Nigerians.