Peter Obi Running as VP Would Be His Greatest Mistake – Presidency

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy, has advised Labour Party leader Peter Obi not to accept any offer to run as a vice presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Bwala warned that such a move would backfire and could cost Obi the strong support he enjoys among his followers.

Obi, who was Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in 2019 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ran for president in 2023 under the Labour Party and gained widespread backing, especially from young Nigerians.

Recently, there have been talks about Obi possibly joining a proposed opposition coalition announced by Atiku in March. The aim of the coalition would be to challenge the ruling party in the next general election.

However, Bwala believes joining such an alliance as a running mate would be a political miscalculation for Obi.

“Peter Obi will be making the biggest mistake of his life to now come together under the agreement he will be a running mate,” Bwala said.

He added that Obi’s supporters—popularly known as “Obidients”—are loyal to him as a presidential candidate, not as a vice presidential option.

“Because all of the people you are hearing obidient had only one contract with Peter Obi that he will run for the President.

“The minute Peter Obi drops the idea of running for president himself, I can guarantee you he will lose the majority of the people that are following him.

“This is without taking away the fact that Peter Obi himself may not be comfortable in that arrangement.”

Bwala also praised President Tinubu’s strength and political experience, claiming that it would be nearly impossible for any politician to defeat him in 2027.

“Let’s leave joke aside. Most of them are prodigies of Asho, a man who won election when all the forces were against him, will now lose election when he’s in power, when you have the opportunity to deliver on good governance, you have the opportunity to stretch your hand and make it a national consensus, as he’s doing.”

He went on to say that the opposition coalition being proposed is already showing signs of failure.

“But those who are close watchers of events and activities and are not moved by emotions, will see signs that indicate that the coalition is dead on arrival.”

“And what are those signs? Governors, on the platforms of their parties are joining us, senators are joining us, everywhere where they think they have those strong structures, the people are coming under the tutelage of President Bola Tinubu, because the President may not be perfect, he may make mistake, but one fact is clear, his head and his heart is right, and there is no no politician alive today that has political gravitas to gather people as much as the president. We are not bothered.”