The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have refuted speculation about a potential alliance for the 2027 presidential election.
Rumors of a joint ticket surfaced after photos and videos of Atiku hosting Obi for breakfast at his residence in Adamawa State went viral on social media.
The video, shared on Atiku’s official X account, was captioned, “It is breakfast time with my friend, #PeterObi, in the ‘land of beauty.’” The footage showed the two leaders sharing a meal alongside other individuals.
This meeting follows months of political discourse sparked by a statement from Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Deputy National Spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
During a live political program, Abdullahi mentioned that opposition leaders, including Atiku, Obi, and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) leader Rabiu Kwankwaso, were considering an alliance to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
However, Paul Ibe, Atiku’s spokesman, dismissed the rumors, describing the breakfast meeting as nothing more than a friendly reunion. “It was a private meeting between two old friends,” Ibe clarified.
Similarly, sources from Peter Obi’s camp emphasized that the interaction should not be misinterpreted as a political strategy but rather as a gesture of camaraderie.
“Let us not jump the gun. The fact is that Obi accepted to be the keynote speaker at the 20th anniversary of AUN and the 16th Founder’s Day, which was a milestone. Obi is part of that celebration. The university was founded by Atiku Abubakar, who was more like his host. But people think it is because of politics. We all know our friends. The truth is that politics cannot separate friends,” Ibe explained.
He added that the breakfast was a casual gathering before they proceeded to the event.
Similarly, Obi’s media aide, Ibrahim Umar, dismissed claims that the breakfast meeting hinted at a joint ticket for 2027.
“It’s laughable to imagine that Nigerians would always add a political undertone to every meeting that involves party bigwigs like the duo. No, there was nothing like that. They just invited him (Obi) to deliver a speech there. It has nothing to do with politics. Of course, you know people will always assume things,” Umar said.
Despite the denials, discussions around a possible alliance between the two prominent politicians continue to fuel public interest.
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