The Ohanaeze Youth Council has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to just accept the place of operating mate to former Labour Occasion presidential candidate, Peter Obi, if the African Democratic Congress intends to defeat President Bola Tinubu within the 2027 presidential election.
OYC’s Nationwide President, Igboayaka Igboayaka, made the decision throughout a press convention on Monday in Abuja.
He stated Obi possesses the recognition, credibility, and nationwide enchantment required to “create a nationwide rebirth of Nigeria” if elected president in 2027.
Igboayaka defined that Nigeria’s long-standing political rotation between the North and South favours a southern candidate in 2027, provided that the North’s eight-year tenure led to 2023.
He added that with the ADC nationwide chairman coming from the North, the social gathering should subject a southern presidential candidate.
He stated, “Northern Nigeria’s eight-year tenure led to 2023, enabling a President from Southern Nigeria to take workplace in 2023 and 2027.
“Contemplating that Southern Nigeria is slated to finish its tenure in 2031, it’s crucial that ADC for the 2027 presidential election chooses its candidate from Southern Nigeria.”
Igboayaka argued that, by this logic, Peter Obi stands out as “essentially the most competent, credible, and dependable candidate from Southern Nigeria to succeed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s failed administration.”
He warned that presenting a northern candidate beneath the ADC in 2027 would quantity to a “deliberate political suicide,” saying, “It’s due to this fact a mistaken political permutation, a deliberate political suicide for a Northern to be fielded as a Presidential Candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) within the 2027 presidential election as a presumed different for the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) failed authorities.”
He additional argued that proposing a northern candidate may inadvertently profit President Tinubu.
“It will be politically imprudent to suggest a Northern candidate in its place, probably perpetuating political subservience to the Southern area and inadvertently garnering sympathy votes for the beleaguered Tinubu administration in 2027,” he stated.
Igboayaka additionally alleged a “conspiracy principle” suggesting that makes an attempt to safe the ADC presidential ticket for Atiku, whereas utilizing Obi as vice chairman, point out that Atiku could also be working to make sure Tinubu’s return in 2027.
He insisted that solely a southern presidential candidate, notably Obi, can unite Nigerians towards the present administration:
“Mr. Peter Obi, being the preferred and credible candidate within the South, is extensively accepted by Nigerians.”
Calling for what he described as a patriotic sacrifice, Igboayaka urged Atiku to just accept the deputy position.
“For the sake of Nigeria’s rescue, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ought to pay a nationwide value by willingly deputizing Mr Peter Obi,” he stated.
He added that Atiku would make “an unprecedented selfless political historical past globally” by doing so.
The OYC chief stated that an Obi–Atiku ticket would assure ADC’s victory, stressing, “The best method for Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lose the 2027 presidential election is a joint ticket with Peter Obi as presidential candidate and Atiku Abubakar as vice-presidential candidate; ADC will likely be introduced because the winner earlier than 1pm.”
Igboayaka additionally pointed to historic grievances, noting that, “By 2027, it could be 61 years for the reason that South East final produced a President or Head of State, a transparent injustice and political marginalization.”
He stated Atiku accepting a deputy position could be a serious step towards therapeutic these longstanding grievances.
Rejecting options for Obi to serve beneath Atiku, he insisted, “The Igbo individuals reject any notion of political servitude to different tribes and won’t acquiesce to a subordinate position inside Nigeria’s political panorama on this essential time; therefore, these encouraging Mr. Peter Obi to just accept a Vice Presidential position beneath Atiku Abubakar ought to reasonably counsel Atiku Abubakar to just accept the Vice Presidential slot to Mr. Peter Obi, thereby making certain the presidency stays in Southern Nigeria until 2031 Presidency will return to Northern Nigeria.”
Igboayaka warned that the ADC would face nationwide rejection if it fields Atiku as its presidential candidate.
“The Nigerian individuals will categorically reject and dismantle ADC if Atiku Abubakar flies the presidential ticket in 2027,” he stated.
He additionally cautioned that denying Obi the ADC ticket would lead Ndigbo and different “oppressed Nigerians” emigrate to any political social gathering prepared to supply Obi the presidential slot.
Igboayaka, who emphasised that Obi’s presence on the 2027 poll is a nationwide demand, stated, “The place of nearly all of Nigerian lots is that Mr Peter Obi should seem on the presidential poll in 2027, no matter political affiliation. Any different plans will likely be strongly opposed by Nigerians.”
Nonetheless, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has firmly dismissed claims linking him to a potential vice-presidential ticket with Atiku Abubakar forward of the 2027 elections.
He stated he’s solely pursuing his personal presidential ambition and won’t function a operating mate to anybody.
Amaechi’s clarification follows feedback by Atiku’s ally, Dele Momodu, who instructed that Atiku would possibly take into account the previous Rivers State governor as a possible operating mate if Peter Obi declines to hitch him.
Momodu, in an interview, praised Amaechi’s political affect, describing him as a key determine in President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 victory.
Responding by his media aide, David Iyofor, Amaechi rejected any talks of collaboration geared toward making him a vice-presidential candidate. Iyofor acknowledged that Amaechi believes it’s the flip of Southern Nigeria to provide the following president and is due to this fact in search of the ticket of the ADC.
He stated, ”Amaechi will not be in search of to be operating mate to anyone. He doesn’t intend to be a presidential operating mate to anyone and won’t.
”Amaechi will not be conscious of, and won’t be a part of any discuss to be operating mate to anyone. For emphasis, Amaechi is operating to be President of Nigeria and to not be a operating mate to anyone.
”Politicians are kindly suggested to go away Amaechi’s title out of any dialogue for presidential operating mate,” Iyofor added.
This isn’t Amaechi’s first public declaration of intent to contest the ADC presidential ticket. In August, he vowed to not step down for any aspirant in the course of the social gathering’s major, stressing that the individuals ought to determine the social gathering’s flagbearer. Earlier in July, he additionally acknowledged that he was prepared to function a one-term president to advertise energy rotation and political stability if elected beneath the ADC.
“If not for the coalition Treaty, the reply as to if I’ll run (as president) would have been an outright sure,” he stated.
“However what did we agree? Everybody ought to hold apart their ambition. Let’s first get the platform. Let’s construct it earlier than speaking in regards to the presidency.”
Amaechi contested the presidential major of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022, coming second behind President Bola Tinubu, who received the social gathering’s ticket on the time.
In the meantime, the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress has dismissed ADC claims of a deliberate takeover of Lagos within the 2027 Governorship and Home of Meeting elections, describing the initiative as “useless on arrival” and a “comical try” at political relevance.
Talking on Monday, Lagos APC Spokesman Seye Oladejo ridiculed the ADC’s name for “residents’ cooperation” to wrest management of the state, asserting that Lagos is “not up for grabs” and positively “not a charity undertaking for emergency events in search of relevance by laughable headlines.”
Oladejo highlighted the distinction between the APC’s observe report and ADC’s lack of political infrastructure, saying, “A celebration with out buildings, with out concepts, with out credible candidates, and with out electoral footprints can’t – and won’t – take over a state constructed by a long time of imaginative and prescient, continuity, competence, and unmatched efficiency.”
He additional mocked the ADC’s earlier incapability to carry primary social gathering conferences, noting, “In 2023 and even earlier than then, the ADC struggled to fill a bus cease with its whole membership. The identical social gathering is now promising to overrun a state with over 20 million individuals, world-class infrastructure, and essentially the most subtle citizens in Nigeria.”
Oladejo urged ADC to concentrate on inside social gathering group and contesting councillorship seats earlier than aspiring for greater places of work. He emphasised Lagosians’ consciousness of efficient governance, citing the transformative management of President Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, which he stated has positioned Lagos “on the worldwide map.”
“The ADC’s hallucination about taking on Lagos is useless on arrival,” Oladejo stated. “Lagos stays the stronghold of progressive politics and can proceed to consolidate on a long time of unmatched outcomes. Our social gathering stays deeply rooted on the grassroots, absolutely aligned with the aspirations of Lagosians, and dedicated to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He concluded, “Lagos will not be in play. Lagos will not be confused. Lagos will not be an experiment. Lagos is firmly APC – in 2027 and past.”