Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy, has issued a stern warning to Peter Obi, the Labour Party‘s 2023 presidential candidate, against accepting a vice-presidential role in the 2027 Nigerian election. Speaking on Channels Television on May 5, 2025, Bwala argued that such a move would be “the biggest mistake of his life,” predicting that it would alienate the majority of Obi’s fervent supporters, known as the Obidients. This caution comes amid speculations of a potential Atiku Abubakar-Obi alliance, following Obi’s 2019 stint as Atiku’s running mate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before his defection to Labour in 2022.
Obi, a former Anambra governor, galvanized unprecedented youth support in 2023, securing 6.1 million votes and finishing third behind Tinubu (8.79 million) and Atiku (6.98 million). The Obidient movement, a grassroots force of Nigerians at home and abroad, views Obi as a transformative figure, drawn to his frugal lifestyle and promises to tackle corruption and insecurity. Bwala contended that this base, which rallied behind Obi’s presidential bid with “one contract” for him to lead, would abandon him if he settled for a secondary role. “The minute Peter Obi drops the idea of running for president himself, I can guarantee you he will lose the majority of the people that are following him,” he stated.
Bwala, a former Atiku campaign spokesman, dismissed opposition coalitions, asserting Tinubu’s unmatched political dominance. He pointed to defections of governors and senators to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Labour’s Valentine Ozigbo, as evidence of Tinubu’s growing influence. “No politician alive today has political gravitas to gather people as much as the president,” Bwala claimed, suggesting that Tinubu’s governance and consensus-building make his 2027 re-election nearly inevitable. He referenced Tinubu’s 2023 victory “when all forces were against him” as proof of his resilience, arguing that opposition efforts, like a rumored Atiku-Obi ticket on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) or Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), are “dead on arrival.”
The warning aligns with sentiments on X, where Obidients like @Jack_ng01 have vowed to resist any coalition demoting Obi to VP, with some threatening to “slap” anyone suggesting it. However, Obi himself has expressed openness to a VP role if it serves Nigeria’s progress, stating in a September 2024 News Central TV interview, “I’m not desperate to be Nigerian president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work.” This contrasts with his loyalists’ insistence, as @PO_GrassRootM declared, “Obi will run as the Presidential candidate, not as the vice Presidential candidate.” The debate underscores tensions within the opposition, with analysts noting that Obi’s 2023 momentum—fueled by 70% favorability and youth-driven marches—could wane if he compromises his lead role, especially as Tinubu consolidates power amid economic reforms like the foreign goods ban boosting local industries.
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