- Former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff has asserted that Peter Obi cannot win the 2027 presidential election because voters in Northern Nigeria will completely reject his candidacy.
- Sheriff claimed that many Northerners still hold resentments over Obi’s policies during his tenure as Anambra State Governor, alleging he drove Northern traders out of the state.
- The APC chieftain dismissed potential opposition mergers and ruled out a 2027 run for Atiku Abubakar, maintaining that the presidency must remain in the South until 2031 to preserve regional balance.
A former Governor of Borno State and All Progressives Congress stalwart, Ali Modu Sheriff, has dismissed the prospects of Peter Obi winning the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the former Anambra State governor lacks the political capital to attract support across Northern Nigeria.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Sheriff made the assertions on Monday during an appearance on Politics Today, where he analyzed the shifting dynamics of Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the next general elections.
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Obi, who secured over six million votes under the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, is expected to mount another presidential bid under the banner of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Despite that previous performance, Sheriff insisted that the electoral map has changed significantly and that the Northern voting bloc remains entirely out of reach for the NDC candidate.
When reminded that Obi secured notable victories in North-Central states like Plateau and Nasarawa during the 2023 polls, Sheriff argued that local political sentiments have since shifted.
He alleged that deep-seated grievances regarding Obi’s track record as a state executive continue to influence public opinion across key Northern states.
He claimed that during Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State, certain administrative decisions local populations perceived as hostile alienated northern residents, creating a long-term political barrier.
The APC chieftain further disclosed that grassroots opposition to Obi is already impacting potential opposition coalition talks. He noted that key political actors in Kano State have expressed explicit reservations to the leader of the Kwankwaso political movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, regarding any formal alignment that features Obi on a joint ticket.
According to Sheriff, local supporters have made it clear they will support Kwankwaso independently but will withdraw their backing if a political marriage with Obi is completed.
Sheriff also defended President Bola Tinubu against recent criticisms leveled by Obi over the nation’s security challenges.
Obi had previously called out the administration’s performance on national security, suggesting the leadership should step aside if the situation does not improve.
Replying to these statements, Sheriff maintained that Nigeria’s security issues predate the current government and praised Tinubu’s initiatives, particularly the ongoing legislative push for the establishment of state police forces across the federation.
Turning his attention to other major opposition contenders, Sheriff dismissed the 2027 prospects of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is projected to run under the African Democratic Congress.
He maintained that a post-civil war understanding among Nigeria’s political elite necessitates a strict rotation of power between the North and the South to maintain national stability.
Because former President Muhammadu Buhari completed an eight-year tenure, Sheriff concluded that equity demands the southern region retains the presidency until 2031, advising Atiku to defer his ambitions until the subsequent election cycle.
