The Obidient Movement has categorically denied recent claims suggesting that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has been offered a vice-presidential slot in a proposed coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement released Monday and signed by Nana Kazaure, the group’s Director of Strategic Communications and Media, the movement described the report as “entirely baseless” and dismissed it as “imaginary to the author.”
“The Obidient Movement has been inundated with calls from our members within and outside the country, including other members of the public, regarding a media publication claiming that our principal, Peter Obi, has been offered a running mate position to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the new coalition being formed ahead of 2027,” the statement said.
“Even though the publication is imaginary to the author, we find it appropriate to react in view of possible far-reaching misconceptions in the public space,” it added.
Focus on National Issues, Not Power-Sharing
While confirming ongoing discussions with various political actors, the movement clarified that such conversations are focused strictly on tackling the country’s socio-economic challenges, not political bargaining.
“Without any risk of contradiction, we would like to reiterate that Mr Obi has maintained that his objective and his involvement in a coalition is to provide a united front against and to tackle issues of bad governance, corruption, hunger, poverty, poor healthcare, out-of-school children, and the myriad of other problems daily afflicting the people of Nigeria,” the statement continued.
“We want politics that is progressive, standing firmly with the people and serving the great people of Nigeria — not politics just for the sake of grabbing power.”
The group also reaffirmed Obi’s loyalty to the Labour Party.
“At this point in time, Mr Peter Obi remains in the Labour Party, and if ever this changes, he will make that announcement himself,” it concluded.
Obi: “I’m In Coalition Against Poverty”
Speaking on the same day during a visit to the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kubwa in Abuja, Obi echoed the group’s stance, reiterating his dedication to issue-based politics.
“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,” Obi said.
“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 added.
Obi also dismissed speculation about a 2027 running mate deal, calling it part of “politics of selfish ambitions detrimental to the growth of the country.”
Despite finishing third in the 2023 presidential election, Obi continues to be a major voice in opposition politics. However, he and his supporters insist that any future political alignments must be rooted in national interest, not personal ambition.
