Peter Obi Can’t Defeat Tinubu in Lagos Again, Not a Threat — Sunday Dare

Sunday Dare Special Adviser to the President Media and Public Communication

Peter Obi Can’t Defeat Tinubu in Lagos Again, Not a Threat — Sunday Dare

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, has dismissed suggestions that the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, poses a political threat to the Tinubu administration, insisting that the government is focused on delivering its mandate. Speaking during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye on Saturday, Dare said the administration was not afraid of Obi, arguing that the government’s performance and policy initiatives had strengthened its position ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This government is not afraid of Peter Obi. He is not a nightmare to our government. Maybe before, Peter Obi was a threat, but right now, he is no threat because we stand on the solid ground of performance,” Dare said. According to him, the administration has carefully examined the country’s challenges and is implementing policies and programmes aimed at addressing them. “We have been able to interrogate the problems of this country. Decisions are being taken, policies are being unfolded across the country, and we have a scorecard to show,” he added.

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Dare also criticised Obi’s public interventions, describing some of his comments and interviews as lacking clarity and coherence. “Peter Obi is not a nightmare. Maybe you replace nightmare with nuisance because if you see some of his reactions, they are very pedantic. Sometimes you wonder. You listen to some of his interviews, ask him a question, and he goes in a roundabout direction that does not make sense,” he said.

Dare also addressed the upcoming 2027 presidential election, maintaining that Obi would not be able to repeat his performance in Lagos State, where the former Labour Party candidate defeated Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election. “Peter Obi defeated President Tinubu in Lagos in 2023. This is 2027; he can’t defeat Tinubu again in Lagos,” Dare declared.

In the 2023 election, Obi secured 582,454 votes in Lagos State, edging out Tinubu, who polled 572,606 votes — a margin of 9,848 votes. Tinubu won 11 local government areas while Obi won nine. Despite losing his home base, Tinubu ultimately won the national election with over 8.7 million votes to claim the presidency. His comments come amid growing political activity and early positioning by major parties and prospective candidates ahead of the 2027 general election. The statements also reflect the ruling party’s confidence in its electoral prospects despite the opposition’s efforts to build momentum.