2027: Peter Obi Says He’s Not Fleeing From Atiku

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), denied claims that he is avoiding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Obi said he holds great respect for Atiku, whom he described as a leader and an older brother.

He made the remarks on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Spier Dialogue 2026, a forum focused on African governance.

“Not many people are as close to Atiku as I am, so I can’t be running from him. This man is my highly respected leader and older brother,” Obi said.

“I don’t run from him. Never. It doesn’t involve escaping from anyone. I’ve never run from anybody,” he added. “I just think I go about things in a different way.”

The comments come after a period of tension in their political relationship.

The two men formed a coalition with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Obi officially joined the ADC on January 1, 2026, but later defected to the NDC.