Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reportedly proposed a one-term coalition presidency to Labour Party’s 2023 flagbearer, Peter Obi, offering him the vice-presidential slot ahead of the 2027 general elections. The PUNCH reports that the offer was made during a private meeting between the two politicians in the United Kingdom earlier in the year, with Atiku said to have pledged to step down after a single term.
“Atiku and Obi met earlier this year in the UK. That was where Atiku first mooted the idea of a coalition and urged Obi to be his running mate. Obi then asked for time to think it over and consult his loyalists,” one source revealed. Another insider said recent developments suggest Obi has agreed to the proposal, with Atiku reaffirming his intention to serve only four years before transferring power to the former Anambra State governor. Both are reportedly willing to formalize the agreement in writing. Obi is currently working to secure support from his loyalists before making the alliance public.
This development rekindles memories of the 2019 presidential election when Obi ran as Atiku’s running mate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), losing to then-incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).Amid internal turmoil within both the PDP and Labour Party, coalition planners are reportedly exploring the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as an alternative political platform. “The Social Democratic Party was part of the plans before now, but it seems the ruling APC has also infiltrated the party,” one source said.
“So, they are tilting towards the ADC. As a matter of fact, some of the loyalists have been meeting with the ADC leadership, and others have quietly joined the party. So, if things do not favour them in LP and PDP, they may join ADC.” Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, declined to confirm the reported agreement but acknowledged coalition talks between the two politicians.
“I know that His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have been talking about the coalition. I cannot speak on the specific agreement they have reached,” he said.“All I can tell you is that both of them are focused on ensuring that they build a viable coalition that will be robust enough to accommodate diverse Nigerians to unseat the clueless APC government in 2027.”
Peter Ahmeh, a close Obi ally and National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, also refrained from confirming the one-term pact but affirmed Obi’s commitment to party unity. “No comment on this one, until I speak with my oga,” Ahmeh told The PUNCH.“My position on this remains that, for us to defeat the APC, we must follow the rules of engagement so we don’t allow Tinubu to become the landlord in the southern part of Nigeria when we have somebody who can defeat him effortlessly. We are in the LP as we speak, and that is the option available to accommodate everyone because you cannot sleep in a hostile environment and expect to succeed.”
Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, denied any knowledge of the alleged arrangement. “As far as I am concerned, after I met with him in Benin, there was nothing of this nature on the table,” he said. ADC Chairman Ralph Nwosu confirmed the party’s involvement in broader coalition discussions but did not confirm direct contact from Atiku or Obi. “The ADC leadership has held conversations with all major stakeholders in the coalition drive and even people in government — that is, even people in the APC,” Nwosu stated.
Source : https://saharareporters.com/
