Dr. Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement Worldwide, has ruled out the idea of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi assuming a vice-presidential position ahead of the 2027 general election.
Tanko, an Obi ally, clarified the situation in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, responding to reports that the former Labour Party presidential candidate would contemplate becoming ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.
“We have never put that on the table. Obi is running for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No more, no less. There is no discussion or anything related to him becoming a VP, and we have already released a statement to that effect,” Tanko said.
The clarification follows Obi’s recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Last Wednesday, the former Anambra State Governor formally joined the party at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort in Enugu State, calling on Nigerians and opposition forces to unite under a broad national coalition to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity, and democratic decline.”
He also chastised the current administration for mismanaging the country and exacerbating social and economic problems across the board.
Tanko’s views came amid a public debate between ADC chairman and publisher Dele Momodu and political economist Professor Pat Utomi about Obi’s political destiny in 2027 and the ADC presidential ticket.
Momodu, a previous presidential candidate, responded on his verified X account to Utomi’s statements, threatening to withdraw support for Obi if the former governor accepted a vice-presidential position in the forming opposition coalition.
“Anyone insisting that Obi cannot run behind anyone is definitely not a Democrat who wishes to rescue Nigeria from a one-man dictatorship,” Momodu wrote, while acknowledging his admiration for Utomi.
He argued that Nigerian politics demands strategic realism rather than rigid idealism. “Every nation must have its own organic strategies while it may study and borrow ideas from elsewhere. The Nigerian topography is an abnormal configuration,” he said.
Momodu also mentioned that intellectual brilliance alone often does not translate to electoral success in Nigeria, where voting behavior is shaped by what he described as “primordial sentiments.”
“This is why the statement credited to my egbon, Pat, often breaks my heart. He seems not to have learned from his own experience that ‘big grammar’ does not win elections,” he added, referencing Utomi’s earlier comments.
He also observed that political parties often choose individuals with greater electoral appeal over those regarded to be more intellectually adept.
“APC had a far more fascinating and cerebral Yemi Osinbajo, yet it chose Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its flagbearer in 2023. The keyword is reality,” Momodu said.
Highlighting Obi’s political journey, he added, “In 2019, one visionary gentleman, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, placed Obi on the national platform against the wishes of many governors and stakeholders.”
He urged Obi to remain committed to the ADC and to “be a humble party man” as he positions himself for the 2027 presidential contest.
