AAhead of the 2027 election, the question of who will challenge President Bola Tinubu for the presidential seat remains the major unanswered question. While many Nigerians want to see Peter Obi, a former Anambra State Governor as the first name on the ballot, some believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, is the only politician up to the task of sending the President back to Lagos.
Deciding who will lead the coalition to unseat President Tinubu by becoming the presidential candidate of the newly adopted African Democratic Congress, ADC is a tough task. Atiku becoming the party’s flag bearer threatens the unwritten agreement of an 8-year rotation of the presidency between the southern and northern regions.
Southern Politicians Propose Single Term Of Four Years
To keep the unwritten agreement, major contenders for the ADC presidential ticket in Southern Nigeria promised to serve only one term of four years if elected the President. This will complete the remaining four years after President Tinubu’s first term.
During a XSpace session attended by many of his supporters, Obi vowed to do just a term. The former Governor claimed that he had no intention to hold on to power; therefore, he would vacate the presidential seat after four years if elected.
“If the agreement is one term, I will leave on May 28, 2031 — not even May 29. I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work,” Obi said, responding to a question from a user named Balactic.
Similarly, another potential candidate for the ADC presidential ticket, Rotimi Amaechi, stated that he would not do more than a single term if given the ticket. The former Minister of Transportation made this known while speaking during an interview on Channel Television.
When asked if he would only do one term if given the ADC ticket, the former minister said, “Of course.”
“If not for the coalition agreement, the answer to whether I’ll run (as president) would have been an outright yes,” he said.
According to multiple reports, former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola is also among those interested in getting the ADC presidential ticket.
However, the attempt to get Northerners’ support with a one-term proposal might fail because of the ambition of some Northern politicians. Recently, Atiku Abubakar revealed his plan to contest for the presidency in 2027.
The former Vice President made this known while receiving a delegation of Gombe stakeholders at his residence in Abuja on Saturday. He promised to arrest all the corrupt politicians and work with youths and women if elected.
Peter Obi Rejects Vice President Position, Vows To Be Flag Bearer
It seems any attempt to have the Atiku/Obi presidential ticket will not work in 2027. Obi, who was the Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, insisted that he would run for the presidency again in the next two years. The former Governor has rejected being a running mate to Atiku or any other politician in the next election.
During a recent interview on Channels Television, Obi stated clearly that he will be in the race for the presidency for the second time.
“I am going to contest for the president of Nigeria and I believe I am qualified,” he said.
With Obi and Atiku’s positions, the ADC presidential ticket could be thrown open to all interested candidates. The party may choose its flag bearer at the party’s primary election. This will allow interested candidates to test their popularity within the coalition.
Meanwhile, despite the battle for the ADC party’s flag bearer, the coalition’s aim to send President Tinubu out of Aso-Rock remains unchanged.
