2027: ADC Presidential Ticket Battle Begins as Another Candidate Says 'I'm Better Than Obi, Atiku'
- Prof Pat Utomi said he was better prepared to lead Nigeria than Tinubu, Atiku and Obi
- The ADC chieftain dismissed claims that governor defections would guarantee victory in 2027
- Utomi warned that Nigeria’s democratic decline could have severe consequences if reforms were delayed
The contest for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election has intensified, following comments by political economist and party chieftain, Prof. Pat Utomi, who declared that he is better prepared to lead Nigeria than President Bola Tinubu and leading opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
Utomi made the assertion on Sunday, January 18, while speaking on Politics Today, where he reflected on his political journey, opposition coalition talks and what he described as Nigeria’s deepening democratic and governance crisis.
Source: UGC
Utomi declares readiness for leadership
Speaking candidly during the interview, Utomi said his long-standing involvement in national and international affairs had uniquely prepared him for leadership.
“Has it ever occurred to you that I am more qualified than all of them, Atiku, Obi, including Bola Tinubu, in terms of preparation to lead Nigeria? To be totally honest, I have never left the ADC since 2007," he asked.
He stressed that his loyalty to the party and consistent engagement in reform-driven politics set him apart in the emerging 2027 race.
Reflections on coalition-building efforts
Utomi recalled the ADC’s early attempts at building a broad political coalition after the 2007 elections, noting that many individuals involved at the time are now scattered across different political camps, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Vanguard reported.
“We went around trying to find people to come together after the 2007 run of the ADC. At one point, that effort included both the incumbent Tinubu and most of the people in the ADC today, the good, the bad and the ugly," he said.
According to him, inclusive political engagement remains the only viable path to national progress.
“If we are going to make progress, it is important to bring everybody into the house,” Utomi added.
Dismissal of governor defection narrative
Utomi also challenged the growing belief that defections of state governors to the ruling APC would guarantee electoral victory in 2027.
“Check how many APC governors actually won their states in the last election. Very few. Some people think victories are assured because governors have defected, but I want to tell you, it won’t be like that," he said.
Warning on democratic decline
The ADC chieftain warned that Nigeria’s continued democratic erosion could have grave consequences if urgent reforms are not implemented, Punch reported.
Drawing from his experience after the 2007 elections, Utomi recounted conversations with international leaders who questioned the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“When I ran in 2007, Madeleine Albright and a former Canadian prime minister asked me, ‘What do you people call what has just happened in your country?’” he said.
Internal opposition tensions emerge
Utomi’s remarks come amid growing internal debate within the ADC and the wider opposition coalition over the 2027 presidential race.
Source: Twitter
Two weeks ago, ADC chieftain and former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, publicly criticised Utomi over comments relating to the party’s ticket and the political future of Peter Obi.
Momodu reacted to an earlier interview in which Utomi said he would withdraw support for Obi if the former Anambra State governor accepted a vice-presidential slot.
“Anyone insisting that Obi cannot run behind anyone is definitely not a democrat who wishes to rescue Nigeria from one-man dictatorship,” Momodu wrote on X.
Momodu says Atiku lacks funds to bribe ADC delegates
Previously, Legit.ng reported that concerns over money politics at the African Democratic Congress presidential primary have been dismissed by party chieftain Bashorun Dele Momodu, who said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lacks both the means and the incentive to bribe delegates.
Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine, spoke during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme.
Source: Legit.ng
