A former chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Peter Ameh, has stated that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, stays the strongest opposition determine able to defeating President Bola Tinubu within the 2027 normal election.
Ameh, who spoke throughout an interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, argued that Nigeria’s political terrain has shifted from reliance on entrenched constructions to at least one pushed by public belief, grassroots connection, and nationwide attraction—qualities he stated Obi uniquely embodies.
He famous that there’s a great probability that the coalition can take away an underperforming authorities, however this should be predicated on sure components.
“You need candidates that have momentum, that have public appeal, that have organic depth of support to be able to go into the ballot so that you have the opportunity to remove the current government,” he stated.
He dismissed current requires the opposition to subject a northern candidate within the subsequent presidential election, saying such reasoning ignores the current realities of voter consciousness and expectations.
“For me, I think that candidate should be Peter Obi, a candidate that goes around from state to state, that moves from Jigawa to Abuja to Kastina, Kastina to Kaduna, even to Olamaboro in Kogi State, and has been to several technical institutions, nursing school,” he stated.
Ameh stated what Nigeria wants now are leaders who perceive the nation’s challenges from shut proximity, not people who “have not been able to even know the route that links from Ogugu to Enugu.”
Citing the 2023 presidential election, he maintained that Obi proved his energy regardless of missing conventional political backers reminiscent of sitting governors or senators.
“There was no political entrenchment, there was no political structure. People say, oh, they are three people tweeting in one room, there are no governors, there are no senators. But that election, Obi has proven beyond reasonable doubt that… people have interest in him,” he stated.
He additionally highlighted Obi’s dominance within the South, regardless of the presence of robust political figures in each the PDP and APC.
“Overall in the South, Obi had 44.5%, Atiku had 19.4%, Tinubu had 35.5%, and Kwankwaso had 0.48%. He defeated every candidate there,” he stated.
Ameh additional alleged that leads to some states have been manipulated, notably in Rivers, the place he cited investigative stories from the BBC and Premium Times.
“If you look at the BBC report exposé done on River State, including Premier Times, you will find out that Peter Obi defeated every other candidate in River State. These are data that are verifiable,” he added.
He warned towards the return of candidates who fail to display connections with on a regular basis Nigerians, particularly these struggling the brunt of {economic} and safety crises.
“We can’t just sit down and then try to put up candidates that are not going out there to sell themselves, to go around to connect with Nigerians, to show compassion to people who are going through crisis, like what happened in Makwa, and then we go and elect candidates again that will now start to draw Nigerians back,” he stated.
