ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential aspirant, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that he is distancing himself from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi spoke on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Spier Dialogue 2026, a pan-African governance forum, where he addressed speculation surrounding his relationship with Atiku.
“There are very few human beings who are as close as I am to Atiku. So I can’t be running from him. This man is my very respected leader and elder brother.
“I don’t run from him. Never. It has nothing to do with running from anybody. I’ve never run from anybody. I just believe that I do things differently,” he said.
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His comments come months after political tensions emerged between both leaders following the collapse of their coalition alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.
Obi and Atiku had initially aligned under the African Democratic Congress as part of a coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the next presidential election.
Obi officially joined the ADC on January 1, 2026, a move Atiku welcomed at the time, describing it as a major step in opposition coalition-building.
The alliance later fell apart, with Obi explaining that his departure from the party was not connected to personal disagreements with Atiku or ADC chairman, David Mark.
According to him, unresolved internal crises and persistent legal battles within the party shifted attention away from pressing national concerns.
Following his exit, Obi and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, where they called for an end to litigation-driven politics in the country.