2027 Presidency: Peter Obi Not Trusted In The North, Atiku Has No Chance – Arewa Chieftain, Sani

A former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, has dismissed the chances of former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, in the 2027 presidential race, insisting that the North does not trust him enough to hand over power, even for a single term.

The northern elder statesman said President Bola Tinubu remains the most likely beneficiary of northern votes, adding that the political dynamics do not favour the opposition coalition.

Sani noted that despite the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, his loyalists would still queue behind Tinubu, primarily because Buhari remained committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) until his final days.

“President Bola Tinubu can still get Northern votes because of Buhari’s supporters who would not like to betray Buhari. This is because he had told them he was in APC and died in APC,” Sani told Daily Post in a recent interview.

He stressed that Buhari’s loyalists would not abandon the ruling party, noting, “Given the nature of Buhari’s supporters, they would not like to betray him even in the grave.”

Peter Obi Cannot Be Trusted By The North

The elder statesman was emphatic in stating that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, cannot be trusted by the North to keep a one-term promise.

“The North cannot trust Peter Obi that he will do one term. You would recall President Jonathan pledged to do one term but reneged,” he said.

Sani argued that Tinubu remains the only Southern candidate with a credible claim to a second term, having only served one so far.

He described this as a key consideration for Northerners who may want to preserve the zoning arrangement for national stability.

Zoning Weakens Atiku’s Chances

Speaking on former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Sani insisted that the zoning principle does not favour the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is from the North.

“The politics of zoning does not favour Atiku precisely because all southerners and most northerners favour the idea of zoning in the interest of unity and stability of the country,” he said.

He noted that even if Atiku pairs with either Obi or Rotimi Amaechi, the result will remain the same because Nigerians are not convinced of a viable alternative.

Opposition Lacks Distinct Agenda – Sani Asserts

Sani took a swipe at the opposition coalition, stating that despite featuring “imminent Nigerians,” it has failed to present any compelling policy alternatives.

He said, “The opposition has not told the nation what it will do differently from what the Tinubu administration is doing.”

He cited how all three major contenders in 2023, Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi, campaigned for fuel subsidy removal, noting that Nigerians saw it as a non-choice factor.

“When the results of the elections were out, Atiku got 7 million votes, Peter Obi garnered 6.1 million votes and Bola Tinubu got 8 million votes. These suggest Nigerians were not swayed by the subsidy debate,” Sani added.

Sani further pointed out a trend of southern realignment towards the APC, especially in the South-South and parts of the South-East, which could further tilt the balance in Tinubu’s favour.

“The South-South and part of South-East are moving to APC,” he said.

El-Rufai Has Intellect, Kwankwaso Has Grassroots – Sani States

Commenting on possible game-changers ahead of 2027, Sani said former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai may lack the electoral street credibility to tilt the tide.

“Former Governor El-Rufai is a very intelligent technocrat but not a street politician as such,” he said.

In contrast, he described Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a grassroots force with strong influence in Kano.

“Kwankwaso can deliver Kano State. And I foresee him defecting to APC and adding political value to himself,” he predicted.

Naijaonpoint reports that with the 2027 race already generating speculation, Sani’s analysis suggests the North is more inclined to back Tinubu for a second term, while distrust and zoning politics may continue to haunt opposition figures like Atiku and Obi.