The leader of the Obidient Movement nationwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has asked past President Goodluck Jonathan to back Peter Obi’s hope to be president, instead of being “used against what the people want” before the 2027 general elections.
Talking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, Tanko mentioned that Jonathan should understand that Obi is the most liked person running for president and should pay him back for being there for him when people were trying to take him out of his job as president.
Tanko stated, “Even Rotimi Amaechi, who used to be the governor of Rivers State, said Peter Obi was the only governor that helped President Goodluck Jonathan when they were trying to get rid of him; Obi was the only one who stayed by his side.”
This is the right moment for President Jonathan to pay back that kind action by asking everyone to back Peter Obi.
Tanko cautioned that a “tiny group who have kept this nation in extreme poverty” were trying to use Jonathan to further their own political goals, noting that such actions could hurt Nigerians.
He insisted that Obi was still the most favored person for 2027 and that at least eight political groups were trying to get him to join them.
He stated, “It’s not because he’s the best-looking or smartest, but because he stands for and speaks the language of Nigerian youths.”
Regarding worries about Obi working with different political groups, Tanko stated that the former governor of Anambra was staying open to uniting opposition forces to win the presidency.
He questioned, “If you are the one that many people are calling on, would you reject any of them?”
Tanko dismissed worries that the Labour Party, PDP, and ADC could not cooperate, insisting that the goal was to win the presidency. He described Obi as a leader who had “overcome greed and eliminated selfishness,” noting that his leadership style in Anambra, which involved appointing 60 percent female commissioners and involving them in open discussions, demonstrated his democratic nature.
He also defended Obi’s promise to only serve one term if elected, stating that it was part of a fair deal to ensure equality between the North and South.
Tanko stated, “Peter Obi promised to serve four years.”
The Obidient leader emphasized that Obi’s increasing humanitarian efforts, such as donations to schools and hospitals, were motivated more by caring than by political plans.
He said, “If there are other people running who have the same care, consistency, and concern for the people, let them try to do the same things he is doing.”
Tanko stated that Nigerians needed a leader with Obi’s “character, compassion, credibility, consistency, and accountability” to end poverty, insecurity, and economic decline.
He added, “We don’t need old ideas that can’t create new ones.”
Rising speculation over Jonathan’s role
Tanko’s comments come as there is speculation that opposition leaders are considering whether to nominate Obi or Jonathan as a single candidate in the 2027 election. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is part of a coalition, are reportedly considering both men as choices.
Last week, former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido stated that Jonathan would be the PDP’s strongest choice for the presidential election, insisting that no current PDP member from the South could match his experience.
However, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, who leads the PDP Governors’ Forum, repeated his request for Obi to return to the PDP. Another key party member, former Minister of Information Jerry Gana, stated that Obi could be “the candidate to beat” if he became the PDP’s nominee.
At the same time, Dumebi Kachikwu, who ran for president in 2023 with the ADC, stated last week that Jonathan had given Obi the chance to be the Minister of Finance and Economy if he quit the presidential race.
However, Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim, who is close to Obi, told the BBC Hausa Service that Obi is now too important in politics to take a job as a minister.
“Right now, we are not thinking about going backward; we are thinking about moving forward. We already worked with Jonathan’s government, and now we are moving ahead,” Abdulkarim stated.
He mentioned that the two men have a good relationship, remembering what Obi did while Jonathan was president.
“Anyone who knew these two men when Jonathan was in charge understands how important Obi was and what he did in the government,” he said.
Abdulkarim added that if they were going to team up, Jonathan should support Obi. “We hope that if they talk, Jonathan will come and support Peter Obi so that the changes that are needed can happen,” he said.
Obi is now stuck because of what people expect – Prof Kari
Talking about what is happening, Professor Abubakar Kari from the University of Abuja told Daily Trust that Obi is now “stuck” because the Obidient Movement expects so much from him, and he needs to be careful not to fail politically.
Kari said that if Jonathan might run for president, it could mess up the opposition’s plan for 2027, warning that it is now an all-or-nothing situation.
“Either they choose Jonathan as the opposition’s candidate, or they hope he does not run at all,” he said.
According to him, it might have been good for Obi politically to take a job in a government led by Jonathan, but the former governor of Anambra is now “completely stuck” because of his movement.
“Obi is a politician who wants to achieve things in politics. Before he ran for president, he wanted to be vice president, but the Obidient Movement only sees him as someone who should be president. So, it is a problem that he has so much support and is being controlled by a very loud movement. But he should be allowed to make his own choices,” Kari said.
The professor mentioned that the Obidient Movement is strong in the South East, South South, and the Middle Belt, which are also areas where Jonathan has political support.
“It would not be smart for them to try to achieve their goals separately,” he warned.
Kari said that Jonathan’s desire to be president could ruin the opposition’s plan unless he is presented as the only candidate, which could make it very difficult for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“But if other candidates like Obi and Atiku also run, Jonathan running will only help the party that is currently in power,” he said.
“This is why I think Jonathan’s candidacy is an all-or-nothing situation. Either the opposition lets him run unopposed, or they will lose everything.”
