…Picks Kwankwaso as running mate at Abuja convention
..Sets stage for showdown with Tinubu, Atiku
By Peter Taiwo
Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections.
Obi was unveiled as the party’s flag bearer during a special convention held in Abuja on Saturday and attended by party leaders, delegates, and supporters from across the country.
Following his emergence, Obi announced former Kano State Governor and former Minister of Defence, Musa Kwankwaso, as his running mate, signaling a major political alliance ahead of the next presidential election.
The development is expected to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape and set the stage for a keenly contested presidential race involving incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Obi of the NDC.
Obi’s adoption came days after President Tinubu secured the APC presidential ticket in a nationwide direct primary election, while Atiku emerged as the presidential candidate of the ADC following the party’s primary election held earlier in the week.
Political observers believe Obi’s movement to the NDC alongside Kwankwaso has significantly strengthened the party’s standing among opposition groups. The duo reportedly moved into the party with their respective support bases, including the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
Speaking after his emergence, Obi reiterated his commitment to serve only one term if elected president, a position he has consistently maintained in recent months.
The former Anambra governor finished third in the 2023 presidential election, polling over 6.1 million votes behind Tinubu and Atiku.
With less than a year before Nigerians head to the polls, Obi’s emergence has intensified political activities and raised expectations of a highly competitive three-way presidential contest in 2027.
