2027: Peter Obi Declares Makinde Qualified to Be Nigeria’s President

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that his counterpart in the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, is qualified to become President of Nigeria.

Obi made the declaration on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration of Makinde’s presidential campaign office ahead of the 2027 general election.

The NDC presidential candidate described Makinde as his “dear brother” and urged Nigerians to freely choose their preferred candidate at the polls.

Speaking at the event, Obi said political leaders should be willing to work together regardless of who emerges victorious in a free, fair and credible election.

“We want a Nigeria of unity, inclusion; we have a candidate who is contesting for President today, my dear brother Makinde. Is he qualified to be President? Yes, he is qualified,” Obi said.

He said the political contest should not be driven by desperation, adding that the ultimate objective should be to address the challenges confronting Nigerians.

“What we are doing today, for us is not about desperation but we want Nigerians to make their choice. All of us should come together to build a new Nigeria.

“We can’t continue the way we are going, our people are hungry and poor. Whoever wins genuinely from a free, fair, and credible election, we will all work together to save this country from collapse,” he said.

Obi also called for an end to confrontational politics, urging politicians to channel their disagreements towards finding solutions to the country’s economic and social challenges.

“We don’t want politics of quarrel, politics of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor further advocated a Nigeria where citizens could achieve their aspirations regardless of their family background, connections or social status.

“We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody. That’s what we want. And all of us will work as a family. And I assure you that we remain united in our rescue for our dear country, Nigeria,” Obi added.

The event came amid preparations by opposition politicians and political parties for the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde is seeking the presidency on the platform of the APM, while Obi is the presidential candidate of the NDC. Other prominent contenders include Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi’s comments suggest an appeal for opposition politicians to maintain unity and accept the outcome of a credible election, even as they pursue separate presidential ambitions.