Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Policy, has cautioned Labour Party’s Peter Obi against accepting any offer to run as a vice-presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, warning that such a move could alienate his support base and damage his political credibility.
Speaking on Channels Television, Bwala described the idea as a “political misstep” that could cost Obi the loyalty of his fervent supporters, known collectively as the “Obidients”—a nationwide movement of mostly young Nigerians who backed Obi’s presidential run in 2023.
“Peter Obi will be making the biggest mistake of his life to now come together under any agreement to be a running mate,” Bwala said. “The people who support him have only one contract with him: that he’s running for president. The minute he drops that ambition, he loses the majority of them.”
Obi, a former Anambra State Governor, was Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2019 election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he broke away to contest the 2023 presidency under the Labour Party. His campaign attracted significant youth support and reshaped the political landscape.
Bwala also cast doubt on the viability of any opposition coalition forming to challenge President Tinubu in 2027, claiming the president’s political strength remains unmatched.
“Let’s be honest,” Bwala said. “President Tinubu is a man who won an election against all odds. Now in power, with a platform to deliver governance and build consensus, there’s no living politician today who has his political gravitas.”
He claimed defections from opposition parties into the APC—by governors and senators—were early signs that any proposed anti-Tinubu alliance was “dead on arrival.”
While Obi has not declared his intentions for 2027, Bwala’s comments reflect growing speculation over future alliances among opposition figures and suggest the ruling APC is closely monitoring possible moves within the Labour Party and PDP.
