2027 Elections: Why Peter Obi Won’t Join Atiku’s Coalition, Wike’s Aide Explains

• FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s aide, Lere Olayinka, said the Atiku Abubakar-led coalition against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not work
• Olayinka also said the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi would not join Atiku's coalition
• According to Wike's aide, Atiku’s push for the coalition is to realise his presidential ambition in the 2027 elections

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja - The coalition spearheaded by former vice president Atiku Abubakar to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been adjudged to be dead on arrival.

The aide of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, said Peter Obi won’t join a coalition that’s meant to benefit Atiku.

Olayinka, senior special assistant on Public Communication and New Media to Wike, stated this during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, May 1, 2025.

As reported by Vanguard, Olayinka said Atiku’s push for the coalition is to realise his presidential ambition.

“The moment you are doing coalition, and that coalition is to support one person’s ambition. Who is talking about coalition Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and who is thinking about benefiting from coalition Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, how will the coalition now work? The moment you are talking about the coalition to benefit Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the coalition will not work.”

According to Wike’s aide, the coalition will not work because Obi will not agree to a political association designed to support Atiku’s presidential ambition.

“Is anything working in coalition today? It has failed before they even started with it. They will tell you that, Alhaji Atiku will run with Peter Obi. Will Peter Obi agree to run with Atiku Abubakar? Will Atiku allow Peter Obi to run as President under the coalition? Or will Peter Obi allow another person to be presented as a candidate? These are the issues. It cannot work and it will not work."

He concluded that the coalition would fail because it had not fully formed with identifiable presidential and vice-presidential candidates

Atiku wanted Southeast to produce 2023 presidential candidate

Recall that Dele Momodu discussed Atiku Abubakar's support for the Southeast to produce the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, but internal party politics hindered it.

Momodu emphasised the PDP's history of power rotation between the North and South, with southern leaders holding power for 17 years of the last 24.

He criticised party members, particularly Wike, for frustrating the ambitions of potential candidates and causing Peter Obi’s departure from the PDP.

“Atiku is on his way out of the PDP” - Okowa

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, was allegedly on his way out of the PDP.

The former Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who was Atiku's running mate in 2023, said the former vice president would soon leave the PDP.

Okowa said he regretted being Atiku's running mate in 2023 and explained the reason he accepted the VP ticket.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng