Adopt Obi As Consensus Candidate, Group Tells Opposition Committee

A political advocacy group has called on Nigeria’s opposition parties to adopt former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi as their consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The group made the appeal to the opposition coalition’s committee responsible for coordinating discussions on a possible alliance among opposition parties and political movements ahead of the election.

It argued that adopting a single presidential candidate would strengthen the opposition’s chances of mounting a serious challenge at the polls and prevent votes from being divided among several candidates.

According to the group, Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election demonstrated his ability to attract support across different parts of the country. It said his candidacy could provide a rallying point for opposition politicians seeking to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.

The group urged members of the opposition committee to place national interest above individual ambitions and party considerations while discussing the proposed coalition.

It maintained that Nigeria required a credible political alternative capable of addressing economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and other challenges confronting citizens.

The call comes amid continuing efforts by opposition politicians to establish a broad coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. Several political figures and groups have been involved in discussions over possible cooperation, although questions remain about the structure, leadership and presidential candidate of any eventual alliance.

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, finished third behind Bola Tinubu of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party. His strong performance, particularly in parts of southern Nigeria and among younger voters, has continued to fuel calls for his participation in future opposition arrangements.

However, the proposal to make him a consensus candidate would require agreement among several political interests with their own presidential ambitions.

The group therefore appealed to opposition leaders to consider the wider political objective of presenting a united candidate rather than allowing competing ambitions to weaken their chances.

The opposition committee is expected to continue consultations with political parties, politicians and other stakeholders before reaching any decision.

No final agreement has been announced on a consensus presidential candidate.

The proposal to adopt Obi is likely to generate further debate within opposition circles as parties weigh electoral calculations, regional interests, candidate acceptability and the possibility of forming a unified platform ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.