Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo has expressed doubts over the electoral prospects of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, in Nigeria’s northern region ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
According to Ashimolowo, Obi’s chances of securing significant votes in the region remain slim.
Speaking in an interview with Outside the Box, Ashimolowo said it would take “a miracle” for Obi to win even five per cent of votes in 12 core northern states, citing unresolved divisions in the country.
“The chance of Peter Obi getting five per cent in 12 core Northern states will be a miracle because Nigeria has not healed,” Ashimolowo said.
“He is a fantastic man, he is a gifted man, he could do well, he could achieve, he has proven himself but he can’t win 5 per cent in the north.”
Obi was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, where he placed third behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Despite his loss, Obi garnered strong support among young voters and urban populations, with his supporters, popularly known as the Obidients, maintaining that he has the momentum to win a future election.
As preparations for the 2027 presidential contest gather pace, Obi has indicated interest in running again, although the platform on which he would contest remains uncertain.
The ex-governor is currently part of a broader opposition coalition that includes Atiku Abubakar and other political figures seeking to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The coalition has adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its vehicle, but it is yet to be determined whether Obi will emerge as its presidential candidate or return to contest under the Labour Party, which he represented in 2023.
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