Keyamo Warns Coalition May Lose Peter Obi’s Support Without 2027 Ticket

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has warned that the newly formed opposition coalition could lose the strong backing of Peter Obi’s supporters if the 2027 presidential ticket is not given to the former Labour Party candidate.

His comments come shortly after the coalition adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its official political platform.

Keyamo sees the development as a sign of confusion within the opposition, arguing that the move benefits the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) more than it threatens it. According to him, the coalition’s shift to the ADC signals a quiet withdrawal from their original political parties, which could legally affect their eligibility for future elections.

He also claimed that the decision marks the collapse of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with its old leaders now forming what he described as a coalition of political veterans seeking relevance. In Keyamo’s view, the group is essentially led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and is designed to give him a new presidential platform under the ADC.

Some members of the APC who joined the new coalition were dismissed by Keyamo as being of little importance. He said they had either opposed President Bola Tinubu in the past or failed to win their constituencies in the 2023 general elections. Their departure, he noted, only helps to strengthen unity within the APC.

However, Keyamo raised concerns about the role of Peter Obi in the coalition. He suggested that many leaders within the group are interested in Obi’s popularity and voter base but are not planning to give him a central leadership role. He warned that if Obi is denied the presidential ticket in 2027, his supporters, especially in the South-East and South-South, may withdraw their support from the coalition.

According to Keyamo, it would be illogical to ask Obi, who won two regions in the 2023 presidential election, to step aside for Atiku, who secured only one. He believes that such a move would be seen as political sidelining and would fracture the fragile unity within the new alliance.

The coalition had on Tuesday officially unveiled the ADC as its chosen political base during a high-level meeting in Abuja. As part of its structure, former Senate President David Mark was appointed interim National Chairman, while former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola was named interim National Secretary.

The group includes a lineup of powerful figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai, all expected to play active roles in the 2027 presidential race. Their joint goal is to unseat President Bola Tinubu and reshape Nigeria’s political future. However, growing internal questions about leadership, trust, and political ambition may test the strength of the alliance long before the election campaign begins.