Obi Won’t Join ‘Dollarised’ Primaries — Obidients Reply Atiku

Supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi have dismissed ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent comments on the 2027 presidential race, insisting their principal will not partake in what they described as “dollarised” primaries.

Atiku had told BBC Hausa on Wednesday that while he intends to contest the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, he would support a younger aspirant if one emerged victorious. The remarks quickly stirred debate, with some calling on him to step aside for a new generation of leaders.

But in response, the Obidient Movement accused Atiku of playing “mind games,” stressing that Obi’s politics stood in sharp contrast to the monetised delegate culture of Nigerian primaries.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the group’s National Coordinator and Obi’s former campaign spokesman, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said Obi would never engage in transactional primaries.

“I can say authoritatively that Obi will never go into a primary where he has to buy delegates. In Nigeria today, delegates are purchased, even in dollars. Obi’s ideology is to give hope to a younger generation, not to entrench vote-buying,” Tanko said.

Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, later issued a clarification, insisting his principal had been misquoted. According to him, Atiku never said he would step down for anyone, but only that he would support a younger candidate if one won fairly through the ADC primary process.

“What Atiku clearly said was that young people are free to contest, and if a young candidate emerges through primaries, he will support them. Any claim that he intends to withdraw is a misrepresentation,” Ibe stated.

Meanwhile, political observers such as former senator Shehu Sani warned that defeating Atiku in any party’s primary would be an uphill task, describing party delegates as “a special breed of people.”

The ADC, launched in July as a coalition platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, has courted major opposition figures including Atiku, Obi, and former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai. While some have joined, both Obi and El-Rufai have so far remained in their respective parties.

Obi has repeatedly said he would not be stampeded into leaving the Labour Party for the ADC until he is fully convinced the move aligns with his vision.