Public affairs analyst, Jide Ojo, has claimed that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, may be acting on inside knowledge that he will be handed the 2027 presidential ticket on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform following his defection.

Obi, along with other political leaders from the South-East geopolitical zone, on Wednesday officially crossed carpet from LP to ADC in Enugu State.

They stated that after months of consultations, they had decided to join the ADC and collaborate with other opposition leaders from across the country to “rescue Nigeria from the poor governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Ojo speculated that there could be an understanding that the party’s most prominent member, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, may step down for Obi, thereby paving the way for him to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.

According to him, politics is fundamentally driven by interests, not charity, stressing that political actors pursue whatever platform or arrangement gives them the best chance of winning power.

“Politics is a game of interest. People who are involved in politicking are not doing it for the sake of charity. They want to win power, and whatever will give them power is what they go after,” Ojo said.

According to him, Obi’s confidence about being on the ballot suggests that key negotiations may have already been concluded within the ADC.

“Perhaps former presidential candidate under the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, knows something we don’t know. Maybe the negotiation has been concluded in the ADC that its most prominent member, Atiku Abubakar, will step down for him, and that will pave the way for him to be the presidential candidate of the ADC,” he said.

Ojo added that Obi’s declaration makes little sense if he intends to switch parties again in the near future, especially with the possibility of new political parties being registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“If he is that confident, I don’t see him jumping ship if he declares today for ADC and maybe next week or in January when INEC licenses new political parties. I don’t see him jumping from ADC in such a short time to go and be the presidential candidate of any other party,” Ojo stated.

He also referenced reported warnings from the Obidient Movement, noting that Obi’s supporters have made it clear they would not support him if he runs as a vice-presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar.

Ojo further claimed that part of the ongoing negotiations, according to what he described as information from “the grapevine,” could include an agreement for Obi to serve a single term if elected in 2027, in order to allow power to return to the North in 2031.

“What I’ve also heard is that part of the negotiation could be that Peter Obi would do one term if Atiku steps down for him, and if they are able to win the 2027 presidential election, he will do one term to pave the way for a northern candidate in 2031,” he said. (Channels TV, excluding headline)

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