Political economist Professor Pat Utomi has made a clear public commitment to support Peter Obi only so long as the former Labour Party flagbearer pursues his own presidential ambition for 2027. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Utomi said he would immediately stop supporting Obi if the former Anambra governor accepted a vice-presidential offer.
Utomi’s remarks came in response to a claim by Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo that Obi had agreed to be the running mate to Atiku Abubakar under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket. Utomi dismissed that suggestion, saying it did not reflect Obi’s intentions and that he expects Obi to contest the presidency in 2027 following his formal defection to the ADC.
Peter Obi 2027 presidency remains central to his plans, says Utomi
“I can tell you that Peter Obi will contest for the presidency. The day he becomes somebody’s vice president, I walk away from his corner. I can tell you that for a fact,” Utomi told the programme. His comment underscored a faction of supporters determined that Obi should lead a presidential bid rather than accept a subordinate role on another ticket.
Obi’s defection to the ADC, announced at an event in Enugu, has intensified speculation about alliances and running-mate negotiations ahead of the 2027 campaign. At the Enugu gathering Obi framed the move as the start of a “rescue journey” aimed at reversing what he described as anti-democratic tendencies and poor governance under the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“Today is an important day; today is the last day of 2025, so we are ending this year with the hope that, in 2026, we will begin a journey to rescue our country and set it on the path of proper socio-economic development that will be unifying and inclusive,” Obi said at the event. He warned against coercion and tactics he said had been used to weaken opposition voices.
Utomi used the interview to press a separate, but related, argument about the health and energy of Nigeria’s executive leadership. He called for a cap of 70 years on candidates for the presidency and governorship, arguing that the office should not become a retirement destination for leaders who lack the fitness to govern effectively.
“Something important about this election to bear in mind is that the Nigerian presidency has become a retirement home where people go for the Nigerian state to pay their medical bills. It is not acceptable. They don’t have the fitness to run the country,” Utomi said. He criticised both former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the current government of President Bola Tinubu as examples of leadership in absentia.
The exchange highlights two features likely to shape the coming political season: jockeying over alliances within emerging parties such as the ADC and a continuing debate about generational change in Nigeria’s leadership. Peter Obi, who secured more than six million votes and finished third in the 2023 presidential contest, remains a prominent, and sometimes polarising, figure among voters seeking alternatives to the two dominant parties.
As 2026 unfolds, attention will fall on how the ADC positions Obi, whether serious discussions about running mates materialise, and how proposals such as an age limit might gain traction among parties and the electorate. For now, Utomi’s public vow ties a segment of Obi’s support directly to the prospect of a presidential bid rather than a deputy role.
Key Takeaways:
- Pat Utomi says he will withdraw support if Peter Obi accepts a vice-presidential slot, insisting Obi will run for the presidency in 2027.
- Utomi dismisses claims that Obi has agreed to be Atiku Abubakar’s running mate and highlights Obi’s recent defection to the ADC.
- Utomi proposes an age limit of 70 for presidential and gubernatorial candidates, criticising recent administrations as lacking active leadership.
- Peter Obi describes his move to the ADC as the start of a “rescue journey” to restore inclusive socio-economic development in Nigeria.
