Keyamo: Peter Obi has no chance in Northern Nigeria ahead of 2027

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has claimed that Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi cannot penetrate northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Keyamo stated that Obi’s electoral strength in 2023 was based on three demographic factors that have since eroded.

“Three things delivered Peter Obi in 2023. He was the only Christian candidate, the South-East felt cheated and rallied behind him, and young Nigerians – the Obidients – saw him as the youngest and most relatable candidate,” he said.

Keyamo argued that none of those dynamics would hold in 2027, especially if Obi accepts a deputy role to Atiku Abubakar in the new coalition being proposed under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“If you make Peter Obi the deputy to Atiku, those three factors collapse,” he said.

He dismissed the opposition alliance fronted by Atiku, Obi, and several other political heavyweights, saying it lacks demographic advantage and political traction.

“They are going nowhere in terms of demography. It is going to make us work harder, but the numbers are not looking good for them,” Keyamo stated.

Keyamo added that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) remain strong in the North due to established political structures and incumbent influence.

“We have our structures in the North. We have governors and our structures in the North,” he said confidently.

The opposition coalition, which recently adopted the ADC platform, aims to dislodge Tinubu in 2027 by combining the numerical strength of Atiku and Obi’s 2023 votes, which collectively surpassed Tinubu’s declared tally by over four million.

However, Keyamo insisted Tinubu remains unshaken.

“They’re only combining numbers; they are not adding value,” he concluded.

Tinubu is expected to seek re-election to fulfil the traditional North-South power rotation, having succeeded northern leader Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.