Obi: I didn’t reject being Atiku’s VP in ADC

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has firmly stated that he did not reject an offer to serve as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections. This claim was made in response to reports circulating that he had spurned such an offer.

Obi emphasized that no such proposal had ever been made to him, and therefore, he could not have declined it. The statement came during a televised interview on Arise TV, where Obi was asked about potential alliances among opposition parties prior to the 2027 elections.

Obi's comments emerged as there is growing talk about the possibility of opposition parties and their presidential candidates joining forces to contest against the ruling party in the upcoming elections. He stressed that any such alliance should not be viewed simply as individual negotiations, but as a collective effort between political parties.

"I'm a candidate, yes. So, my leader, Atiku, is a candidate of another party. I am a candidate for another party. So, you are talking about two parties coming together; it is no longer him or me," Obi clarified.

Earlier, Obi and Atiku were part of a coalition under the ADC, formed in 2025 to build a platform for opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections. However, the dynamics changed, with Obi becoming the NDC's presidential candidate and Atiku the ADC's candidate. When asked if he would step down for Atiku or accept a vice-presidential role in the event of an alliance, Obi suggested that such a scenario would need to be discussed within the context of a broader political agreement.

"All those parties have candidates. So, it is a discussion. It is no longer me, as Peter is talking," he stated.

Comparing a possible political alliance to a merger of two corporations, Obi acknowledged that it would require more than just informal discussions between leaders. "It is like a situation where two corporations are trying to come together. It is no longer something the two CEOs go to a drink and say we are going to work together. They need to look at how to bring these two corporations together," he explained.

Obi expressed openness to being part of a coalition that could address Nigeria's economic and social issues, emphasizing the importance of national unity, the rule of law, accountability, education, healthcare, job creation, and poverty reduction. He reiterated his commitment to any coalition that could make Nigeria productive, create jobs, and alleviate poverty.

Notably, Obi previously served as the running mate to Atiku on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 presidential election, but later ran separately in the 2023 election, with Obi contesting on the Labour Party (LP) ticket while Atiku remained the PDP's presidential candidate.