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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said President Bola Tinubu is “tired” and should leave office after the 2027 general election.

Obi said he is not desperate to become Nigeria’s president, insisting that his priority is to see the country function effectively.

Speaking during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the former Anambra State governor also criticised the Tinubu administration, alleging that its policies have pushed more Nigerians into poverty.

According to Obi, some Nigerians doing well in business have resorted to selling kuli-kuli.

He said: “Tinubu is tired and needs to go home and rest. When Tinubu came into power 87 million Nigerians were in poverty but today it’s 140 million.

“Insecurity has gotten worse. Which hope are they going to renew again? You can’t renew failure.

“I am not desperate to be President of Nigeria. There’s a way you will fail in school, they will ask you to leave the school.

“People who had business when you came into power are now people who are selling kuli-kuli.”

Former Borno State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is unlikely to receive Northern backing for the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the region believes power should remain in the South.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Sheriff maintained that Nigeria’s long-standing principle of regional power rotation should be respected, especially after former President Muhammadu Buhari completed two terms in office.

He said the North has no reason to seek the presidency in 2027, insisting that Atiku should postpone any ambition until 2031.

According to Sheriff, political leaders adopted the power-sharing arrangement after the civil war to promote national unity and ensure fairness among the country’s regions.

Former Borno State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is unlikely to receive Northern backing for the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the region believes power should remain in the South.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Sheriff maintained that Nigeria’s long-standing principle of regional power rotation should be respected, especially after former President Muhammadu Buhari completed two terms in office.

He said the North has no reason to seek the presidency in 2027, insisting that Atiku should postpone any ambition until 2031.

According to Sheriff, political leaders adopted the power-sharing arrangement after the civil war to promote national unity and ensure fairness among the country’s regions.

Sheriff further dismissed the presidential ambition of former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, who is expected to contest the 2027 election under the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

He also alleged that Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State had damaged his chances of attracting Northern voters, adding that some Northern political supporters have expressed reservations about any alliance involving the former Anambra governor.

A former Borno State Governor and All Progressives Congress stalwart, Ali Modu Sheriff, has dismissed the prospects of Peter Obi emerging victorious in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the former Anambra State governor would struggle to attract support across Northern Nigeria.

Sheriff made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television, where he also defended President Bola Tinubu’s handling of national security and expressed confidence that the APC would retain power in the next general election.

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party and finished third after polling more than six million votes, is expected to seek the presidency again in 2027 under the banner of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

Despite Obi’s performance in the last election, Sheriff insisted the former governor had little chance of winning over the North.

“I am not worried about Peter Obi because I know Northerners will never vote for him,” he said.

When reminded that Obi recorded significant votes in states such as Plateau and Nasarawa during the 2023 election, Sheriff argued that the political landscape had changed.

According to him, many Northerners still harbour grievances over Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State.

The situation is different now. When Peter Obi was governor, he chased Northerners out of Anambra State,” Sheriff alleged.

He further claimed that some supporters of former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had also expressed reservations about any political alliance involving Obi.

“This is what people in Kano are telling Kwankwaso now. They say they have always supported him and will continue to do so if he contests for president, but they will not support him if he aligns with Peter Obi,” he said.

He cited the administration’s efforts to introduce state police as one of the initiatives aimed at strengthening security nationwide.

The APC chieftain also dismissed the chances of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is expected to contest on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, maintaining that power should remain in the South until 2031.

According to Sheriff, Nigeria’s political leaders reached an informal understanding after the civil war to promote regional balance by rotating the presidency between the North and the South.

After the civil war, our leaders agreed that Nigeria should not continue on the old path. There is an understanding about regional balance.

“For Atiku, this is not the North’s turn. He is a respected leader and eminently qualified, but he has to wait until 2031. President Buhari completed eight years in office, so it is now the South’s turn,” he said.

Sheriff expressed optimism that Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027 but stressed that the APC would continue to campaign vigorously rather than assume victory was guaranteed.

Minister of Works David Umahi has challenged former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to a debate on road infrastructure, saying that taking a picture of a bad portion of a road for campaign purposes is in bad taste.

Umahi threw the challenge during the commissioning of the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Borno superhighway on Wednesday in Nasarawa State, noting that Obi, as a former governor, should understand the realities of governance.

“I feel so sad when my brother, the former governor of Anambra State, who should know what governance is, makes some remarks. I saw on social media where he got to a point where the road is bad and took a picture. This is bad for his dignity and personality.

And I’m always ready for a debate. I’m always ready to disaggregate the cost, the unique cost of concrete, and to debate with him. And so, I feel so sad because governance is the responsibility of everybody,” he said.

Furthermore, he noted that the federal government would incorporate Yobe and, from Yobe, Gombe to Maiduguri, whose entire stretch is 700 kilometres.

Don’t forget that the first legacy project of Mr President is 750, cutting through Lagos to Ondo to Edo to Delta to Bayelsa to Rivers to Akwa Ibom and Cross River. And the third legacy project is taking off from Cross River where the first legacy project stopped. And that is going from Cross River to my state, Ebonyi, where the first section is ongoing. The second section has just been approved, and it is ongoing, and it is going from Ebonyi down to Benue, down to the Benue boundary between Benue and Ebonyi. That’s another 168 kilometres that has been awarded,” he stated.

In his remarks, President Bola Tinubu noted that the road is a legacy project approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and constructed in sections.

“In Section 1, Phase 1 of the Akwanga–Maiduguri Superhighway, it is a 125-kilometre stretch spanning Akwanga–Kaduna–Jos, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau States as part of the larger 700-kilometre Akwanga–Maiduguri Superhighway, cutting across five states in the North-East as follows:

“Akwanga–Kaduna–Jos, 125 kilometres; Jos–Bauchi, 135 kilometres; Bauchi–Gombe, 162 kilometres; Gombe–Biu, 125 kilometres; Biu to Maiduguri, 188 kilometres — spanning 700 kilometres in all. They are distances connecting communities and cities along one of the most important inland passages in the country.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has expressed confidence that he can win the 2027 governorship election without the direct backing of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi or the Obidient movement.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Rhodes-Vivour said his political journey has evolved significantly since the 2023 elections, stressing that his campaign is now anchored on years of grassroots engagement across Lagos.

“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2023 is not Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2026. We have been doing the work, we have been building structures in communities, we have entrenched ourselves. We are standing for the people,” he said.

The former Labour Party governorship candidate noted that while Obi played a major role in the party’s performance during the 2023 elections, he has since developed an independent political structure capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He explained that his continued presence in communities affected by issues such as demolitions has strengthened public confidence in his leadership, adding that he has consistently offered alternative solutions to residents.

Rhodes-Vivour also dismissed suggestions of any rift with Obi, describing the former presidential candidate as “a fantastic candidate” and insisting their relationship remains cordial despite belonging to different political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to him, he remained in the ADC because the party has successfully built a broad opposition coalition in Lagos, which he believes is essential to ending the APC’s long-standing control of the state.

“We came into the coalition because we realised that if we have multiple oppositions it will be difficult to take out this present government, and we have succeeded beautifully in Lagos State to build something that I am proud of,” he said.

The ADC candidate added that his political strategy is based on careful planning rather than emotion, expressing optimism that the party would perform strongly in the governorship election.

Rhodes-Vivour also rejected claims that his popularity exists mainly on social media, insisting that his support is rooted in communities across Lagos.

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, on Friday urged President Bola Tinubu to postpone the implementation of state police until after the 2027 general election, warning that introducing the new policing structure ahead of the polls could expose it to political manipulation.

Obi’s position comes barely days after the National Assembly passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police, a landmark reform aimed at decentralising Nigeria’s policing system in response to growing insecurity across the country.

The proposed constitutional amendment, which now awaits approval by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before presidential assent, provides for the creation of state police commands alongside the Nigeria Police Force.

It also includes safeguards intended to prevent governors from abusing the new security architecture, following years of concerns that state police could be deployed against political opponents.

However, Obi argued that despite the merits of decentralised policing, the current implementation process raises concerns over transparency and the possibility of political abuse, particularly with the 2027 general election drawing closer.

The former Anambra State governor made his position known in a statement posted on his X handle titled, “State Police: Commendable Step, but Disorderly Legislation Raises Concerns of Political Misuse.”

He said, “The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people.

Nollywood actor and lawyer Kenneth Okonkwo has revealed that he advised Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate for 2027, against joining the party.

In a post on X, Okonkwo said he warned the former Anambra State governor that he would become a “mobile squatter” in the NDC if he left the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“I told Obi that if he left ADC, he would become a mobile squatter in NDC,” Okonkwo stated.

He added that a recent interview by former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, whom he described as the “Supreme Leader” of the NDC, validated his concerns.

“The interview by Seriake Dickson, the Supreme Leader of the NDC, over the past two days confirmed my fears,” Okonkwo said.

“He told people that if they think registering a party is easy, they should go and register theirs. Sorry, squatters do not have rights and privileges in the landlord’s house,” he said.

Okonkwo further claimed: “The only job of Obi and his toxic followers in the NDC is unquestioning servitude to the Supreme Leader. After all, according to the Supreme Leader, he is more qualified to become President than Obi, but he condescended to give Obi a free ticket to contest.

“Since Obi is a ‘food-is-ready’ politician, he should just enjoy the free ticket and keep quiet,” Okonkwo added.

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the recruitment of about 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State, describing it as a demonstration of “poor leadership” and a reactive approach to governance and security.

Obi stated this in a statement posted on his X handle on Friday, titled What Our Pervasive Insecurity Requires: A Holistic Not Reactive Approach. The former Anambra state governor said the decision reflects what he described as the Federal Government’s tendency to address critical issues without adequate planning.

In a hasty effort to be perceived as attentive and courageous, it is reported that President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of about 1000 forest guards for Oyo State. This is a further demonstration of poor leadership and attending to very serious governance and security issues with a reactive approach,” he said. He added that the approach was similar, in his view, to the policies that followed the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, which he said had caused “irreparable damage to ordinary Nigerians and the economy.”

Tinubu approved the recruitment following recent abductions of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

While acknowledging the need for more security personnel, Obi questioned the sustainability and consistency of such measures. Presently, almost all the 36 states in Nigeria are experiencing different forms of insecurity, with Oyo, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Borno, Katsina, Anambra, Niger, Imo, and Sokoto being very alarming,” he noted. Obi questioned whether similar approvals would be extended to all states.

The question, such as the reactive approach of our President, is whether all the states will receive the same approval to recruit 1000 forest guards per state, that is 37,000 forest guards for the 36 states and Abuja, or is the recruitment approval based on the mood of the President?” he asked.

He also queried the possible implications for existing regional security outfits. Moreover, with the approval for Oyo, what will happen to the Amotekun Corps that is trying its best to secure South-West Nigeria? Will they be disbanded in Oyo State?” he said.

Obi further stated that insecurity in Nigeria reflects what he described as systemic leadership failure, noting that over 10,000 Nigerians had reportedly been killed since 2023, while Nigeria remains among the world’s most terror-affected countries. He said addressing insecurity requires a holistic or ecosystem-based approach. Addressing our insecurity situation requires a holistic or what can be described as an ecosystem approach.

With failure in leadership, there is failure in unifying our dear nation, failure in industrialisation, failure in harnessing our abundant resources in agriculture, minerals, tourism, water, sports and even oil and gas to effectively generate required revenue, growth and particularly jobs for our exponentially growing youth population,” Obi said.

The Leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned that the reported political alliance between former presidential candidate Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso could negatively affect Obi’s future presidential ambition.

In a statement released through his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele said Obi had become “too desperate” in his political pursuit and was failing to properly assess those around him.

The cleric, known for issuing political prophecies, claimed that Obi was “not listening to divine instructions” and had “fallen into the wrong hands” in his quest for the presidency.

Kwankwaso isn’t ready to fight for him; he will eventually sell him out, but he doesn’t know it yet,” he said, adding that the alliance could weaken Obi’s political chances.

Ayodele further alleged that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was acting strictly in his personal interest and not in the interest of any political coalition.

Kwankwaso is doing everything for his personal interest and nothing more,” he stated. He, however, clarified that his comments were not borne out of animosity toward Obi, whom he described as courageous but “not yet mature” for the office he is seeking.

The cleric added that the political arrangements around Obi would eventually become clear, but warned that it may be “too late” for the former Anambra governor to recover politically if the alleged alliance collapses.

"Kwankwaso will betray Obi, Kwankwaso is paid to be VP to Obi" - Primate Ayodele

"Kwankwaso will betray Obi, Kwankwaso is paid to be VP to Obi "

Primate Ayodele pic.twitter.com/qxRvAGXTeM

— Hamma (@HAHayatu) June 5, 2026

The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Mr. Peter Obi, has pledged that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso will serve as his vice president “as a partner, not a spare tyre,” if elected in the 2027 general elections.

Obi stated this in his acceptance speech following his nomination as the NDC presidential candidate, contained in a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday.

The former Anambra state governor formally announced Kwankwaso as his running mate on Saturday. Both Obi and Kwankwaso contested the last presidential election, finishing third and fourth respectively. They trailed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu, who was declared winner of the election.

Kwankwaso, a former Kano state governor, ran under the New Nigeria Peoples Party and secured victory only in Kano, where he retains strong political influence.

Speaking, Obi described his emergence as a call to national service, pledging to pursue what he called a “New Nigeria” anchored on unity, security, economic reform, and accountable governance. He expressed appreciation to party leaders, including the National Chairman, Seriake Dickson, the National Secretary, the National Working Committee (NWC), and party supporters across the country.

Obi said Nigeria was at a “crucial juncture, enveloped in uncertainty,” noting rising insecurity, economic hardship, and declining public trust in governance. On national unity, he warned against ethnic, religious, and regional divisions, stressing that Nigeria’s diversity must be a strength rather than a source of conflict. In addressing insecurity, he said the situation had worsened.

In terms of security, the situation in Nigeria has considerably worsened. The global terrorism impact assessments ranked Nigeria as the 8th most affected nation in 2022, 6th in 2024, and 4th in 2026.

Yet, for many years, Nigeria garnered global recognition as a reliable contributor to peacekeeping, regional stabilisation, and conflict resolution. Our troops have not only displayed bravery but have also shown professionalism, discipline, resilience, and empathy in the most challenging operational contexts.

Our officers and personnel have successfully commanded multiple international forthe ces, safeguarded vulnerable civilian populations, monitored ceasefires, reinstated constitutional order, and contributed to rebuilding efforts.

Former Labour Party presidential candidate and chieftain of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has taken a swipe at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as poor governance and lack of delivery on campaign promises.Presidential election coverage

Obi made the remarks in Abuja during a dinner event organised for NDC aspirants. The meeting brought together party members and political stakeholders ahead of future electoral activities. His comments quickly drew attention as he directly questioned the capacity of the current administration to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

Speaking at the event, Obi said leadership should not be associated with excuses, insisting that the era of blame games in governance is over. He argued that public office demands competence, commitment, and character, stressing that Nigerians deserve better results from those in power. In his words, “What I’m seeing I can change, and that’s why I want the office. I’m not looking for it to give excuses.

We cannot hire people who will give us excuses again. The time for excuses have passed. If you cannot work now, go home. The office is for people who have the competent, passion capacity, commitment and character to lead,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor further stated that if elected leaders are unable to deliver “dividend of democracy,” they should step aside rather than remain in office without impact. His comments were widely interpreted as a direct criticism of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Peter Obi, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has contrasted the lending practices of British banks with what he described as Nigeria’s collateral-dependent banking system.

Obi made the remarks on Friday during the Spier Dialogue 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, where he addressed members of the Nigerian community before his scheduled appearance at the pan-African governance forum. I lived in the UK, my brother. I did business in the UK. Very successful business. I went to the bank. I told them the schools I was from, Cambridge and Oxford, and they gave me money.

They didn’t ask me about my parents. They gave me this loan based on my intellectual capital, and I paid them back,” he said. Obi added that the same opportunity would not have been available to him in Nigeria. In my country, I wouldn’t get that type of loan. They would have asked me to go and bring my dead mother and father, their properties and all of that,” he said.

He used the remarks to restate his broader argument about governance, drawing a distinction between leaders focused on transactions and those committed to building functional institutions. People always believe that every politician is the same because they believe governance is all about transactions. What we want is people that will make the society work,” he said.

In a post on X announcing his arrival in South Africa, Obi described the forum as “an important event centred on the future of Africa and the urgent challenges facing our continent and the globe,” covering governance, democracy, economic inclusion, and leadership.

In a post on X announcing his arrival in South Africa on Friday, Obi described the Spier Dialogue as “an important event centred on the future of Africa and the urgent challenges facing our continent and the globe. He said the forum addressed issues including governance, democracy, economic inclusion, urbanisation, migration, and leadership.

Africa’s future should not be characterised by poverty amid abundance or by division instead of development. It is time for us to transition from consumption to production, from divisive politics to politics built on competence and compassion, and from mere promises to tangible progress that serves everyday citizens,” he wrote.

Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has said he helped president Bola Tinubu become president in the 2023 general elections. Fayemi made this known during an interview on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo.

He reflected on the dramatic outcome of the 2023 presidential election, describing the rise of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a political phenomenon that disrupted Nigeria’s traditional power calculations.

He opened up on the deepening crisis inside the All Progressives Congress, APC, admitting that the party he helped build has drifted away from its founding ideals.

According to him, Nigeria cannot survive on a winner-takes-all political culture that excludes millions from governance. He called for inclusive politics, transparent primary elections and the restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

“I helped Tinubu to Become President, but the APC has Lost its Bearing, and Peter Obi is a Phenomenon,” he said.

member of the Kano State House of Assembly representing Gwale Constituency, Abdulmajid Mai Rigar Fata, has defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

The lawmaker, who represents Gwale Local Government Area, home to Governor Abba Yusuf, was formally received on Thursday by former Kano State governor and NDC leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Maitama residence in Abuja.

The development was disclosed by Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Hassan wrote, “Today, (Thursday, 21st May 2026), His Excellency, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, welcomed Hon. Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mai Rigar Fata, member representing Gwale Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, following his defection from the APC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), at his residence in Maitama, Abuja.

Also received were Hon. Kabiru Sani Auwal Obi, former Vice Chairman of Gwale Local Government, and Mal. Mahadi Isa Umar, who joined the party alongside him.”

Mai Rigar Fata was first elected into the Assembly in 2023 under the New Nigeria Peoples Party before later joining the APC alongside Governor Yusuf. The development came hours after a Federal High Court ruling on Thursday opened the door for politicians seeking to defect to alternative political platforms ahead of the elections.

Reacting to the ruling, the spokesman for the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the judgment could trigger mass defections from the APC.

The decision of the court on these issues, including those that directly contradict the Constitution, is therefore a welcome vindication of our position,” the party said.

The ADC added that the ruling, which it said removed restrictions affecting politicians seeking alternative platforms to contest elections, would promote freedom of association.

We believed at the time that that particular restriction was designed to prevent people from leaving the ruling party, APC. Now that the court has ruled against it, we are sure that, in the coming days, we will witness a mass exodus from the ruling party,” the statement added.