Presidential aspirant Peter Obi has dismissed suggestions that he is avoiding former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a “very respected leader and elder brother” despite their recent political split.
Former Anambra State Governor and presidential aspirant Peter Obi has pushed back against suggestions that he is avoiding former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi made the remarks on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, on the sidelines of the Spier Dialogue 2026, a pan-African governance forum.
“There are very few human beings who are as close as I am to Atiku. So I can’t be running from him. This man is my very respected leader and elder brother. I don’t run from him. Never. I just believe that I do things differently,” he said.
The remarks follow a turbulent period in their political relationship. Both men had jointly adopted the African Democratic Congress as a coalition platform to challenge President Tinubu in 2027, but the alliance collapsed. Obi subsequently defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress alongside Kwankwaso, citing unresolved internal conflicts and recurring legal disputes within the ADC.
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