An Australia-based Nigerian and publisher of 9News Nigeria/ CEO of Nine Communications Ltd, Mr. Obinna Ejianya, has advised Mr. Peter Obi not to contest the 2027 Presidential election and allow President Bola Tinubu to complete his second term
Ejianya while speaking on TVC Breakfast Morning Show on Thursday on the newly formed coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said members of the ADC are unlikely to make genuine sacrifices for one another.
He stressed that the coalition lacks the structure and sincerity to allow Obi emerge as the presidential flagbearer in 2027.
He said politicians that are forming the coalition are the same individuals responsible for Nigeria’s current challenges.
He noted that the coalition is not strong or united enough to provide the platform Peter Obi would need to excel in the next presidential election, adding that the group is nothing extraordinary, merely a mix of politicians with differing trajectories and personal ambitions.
“Their alliance, is only born out of the realization that Tinubu wouldn’t have emerged as president in 2023 had they been united.There is nothing special about them. All of them have their trajectories and persona, political trajectories as well and what they have done in terms of governance and all of those things.”, he said
Mr Ejianya added, “However, Tinubu emerged president in 2023 because there was division among them. So, I think right now, they’re coming to the realization that ‘had we not divided our interests and put all we have in one basket, we could have pulled a bigger trigger,”
Emphasizing that whatever differences caused them to go separate ways in 2023 still persist, and these differences may prevent any meaningful progress from the coalition.
“They still have those differences living in them. Even though they may seem to be working together physically, I still see the division. They all have personal interests which surpass national interest, even as they form this coalition,” he said.
Mr Ejianya pointed out that most of the politicians involved in the coalition were previously in the PDP. and should rather simply rebuild the PDP instead of forming another group as the same issues that caused their fallout in PDP would likely resurface in the new coalition.
“If I had my take, I would have advised them to rebuild the PDP and give Nigeria a viable opposition party that could also check and balance President Tinubu’s administration.By doing so, Nigeria would enjoy a better dividend of democracy. But if they’re chasing 2027 now—grouping and regrouping—that will only breed more political sentiment and confusion.”
He maintained that there is the need for the politicians to be focused on solving Nigeria’s current problems, particularly insecurity and the economy, instead of obsessing over an election that’s still two years away, saying his concerns stem from the plight of average Nigerians who are bearing the brunt of elite divisions and political confusion.