2027: Peter Obi told to be careful of ADC coalition

A Professor of Political Science, Jideofor Adibe, has advised Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, to be careful in dealing with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition.

Adibe gave this advice during an interview on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday. He warned that the situation could be tricky, especially now that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region.

“I wouldn’t want to advise Peter Obi directly; he has his own advisers. But if I were him, I would be very suspicious,” Adibe said.

Both the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have already zoned their 2027 presidential tickets to the South, while the ADC is yet to decide. However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is from the North, has shown interest in contesting on the ADC platform. This has raised concerns among southern politicians like Obi and Rotimi Amaechi, who are also part of the coalition and planning to run for president in 2027.

According to Adibe, Obi is known for being thoughtful and usually has backup plans. He explained that Obi’s success would require careful planning and alertness to avoid being outmaneuvered.

“In politics, once announcements are made, they create different scenarios. Over the next few months, it will become clearer why the PDP made its zoning decision,” Adibe said.

He compared the situation to a chess game, stressing that Obi must think strategically. “It may work, it may not. In the end, it’s a tug of war,” he concluded.