Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has downplayed the chances of opposition leader Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, stating that the former Labour Party candidate lacks the political reach to win votes in northern Nigeria.
Speaking on Sunday Politics, a programme aired by Channels Television, Keyamo argued that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have well-established structures across the North, making them a formidable force in the next election.
“The opposition coalition under the ADC platform won’t go far,” Keyamo said. “They are going nowhere in terms of demography. The numbers are not looking good for them.”
The minister was responding to the growing momentum behind the ADC-led opposition alliance, which includes prominent figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, former Senate President David Mark, and ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi. The coalition aims to unseat Tinubu in 2027.
Keyamo dismissed the strategy of uniting Obi and Atiku, saying it is unlikely to yield more votes than Tinubu’s 2023 tally of over eight million. “If Peter Obi is made Atiku’s running mate, the three key factors that helped Obi in 2023 will collapse,” he asserted.
He explained that Obi had benefitted from being the only Christian among the major contenders, strong ethnic loyalty from the South-East, and overwhelming youth support. According to Keyamo, these elements may not play in his favour in a 2027 alliance.
“If Obi becomes the presidential candidate again, he cannot penetrate the North. We have our governors and structures solidly in place across the region,” Keyamo said.
The ADC coalition was officially adopted on July 2, 2025, as the opposition’s platform for the 2027 election. Its leaders hope to combine the electoral strength of Atiku and Obi, who jointly garnered over 12 million votes in the 2023 election — over four million more than Tinubu’s official tally. Despite this, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner.
Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, is seeking re-election to complete the traditional two-term cycle. His administration, however, has faced criticism over rising inflation, economic hardship, and the high cost of living.
