Peter Obi ‘Not a Serious Candidate for 2027’ — Former Supporter Declares

Peter Obi ‘Not a Serious Candidate for 2027’ — Former Supporter Declares

A former supporter of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, James Kitiya, has declared that the former Anambra State governor no longer has a realistic path to victory in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that Obi should not even be considered a serious contender.

Kitiya, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks during an interview on Vanguard’s podcast, The Nigerian Meter, where he opened up on his exit from the Obidient movement and his decision to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, the political momentum that powered Obi’s impressive outing in the 2023 presidential election has weakened significantly, especially among grassroots supporters across the country.

“Don’t call Peter Obi a candidate, he’s going nowhere in 2027,” Kitiya said during the interview.

The former Obidient member argued that many supporters of Obi, especially those living abroad, are active mostly on social media and lack the grassroots structures needed to influence elections in Nigeria.

“Most of these guys, especially the ones outside Nigeria, they don’t have voter’s cards, they can’t mobilise people on the ground,” he stated.

Kitiya explained that the confidence and unity that once defined the Obidient movement before the 2023 elections are no longer visible.

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“Before the 2023 election, if you check how we Obidients were talking, we had confidence because the connection was there. The connection is not there now,” he added.

He further claimed that even some loyal supporters of Obi privately admit that the movement has lost momentum ahead of the next general election.

“If I call two Obidients and place them on speaker, they will tell you their truths,” Kitiya said.

The APC supporter revealed that he officially joined the ruling party in February 2026 in Adamawa State, citing what he described as visible infrastructural projects and governance efforts by the Tinubu administration as major reasons behind his defection.

He specifically pointed to the ongoing Lagos coastal highway project near Eko Atlantic, saying the development convinced him that the current administration was delivering on infrastructure.

“I am supporting Jagaban because of the work I see. They started the Coastal Road. Ten minutes away from my office in Eko Atlantic, I see the road construction every morning,” he explained.

However, Kitiya acknowledged the harsh economic realities facing Nigerians, including rising living costs and inflation, noting that the Federal Government still needs to pay greater attention to economic hardship across the country.

While praising Tinubu’s infrastructure drive, he criticised some supporters of the Obidient movement for what he described as a culture of insults and online attacks against political opponents.

“The difference between the APC structure and the Obidient movement is that APC tries to campaign based on what they have achieved, but Obidients are known to always insult opponents,” he claimed.

Despite his criticism, Kitiya described Peter Obi as “a good man,” but insisted that the former governor no longer has the nationwide political structure needed to challenge the APC in 2027.

His comments come amid growing political realignments and coalition talks ahead of the next election cycle, with opposition leaders reportedly exploring alliances aimed at challenging President Tinubu and the APC in 2027.

Meanwhile, supporters of Obi have continued to defend his political relevance, insisting that the former governor remains one of the most influential opposition figures in Nigeria and could still emerge as a major force in the next election.

Peter Obi ‘Not a Serious Candidate for 2027’ — Former Supporter Declares