The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has stated that the only coalition he is interested in is the one against hunger, poverty, and the deplorable state of healthcare and education in Nigeria.
His remarks follow rumours of his alleged deal with former vice president Atiku Abubakar to possibly run a joint ticket with Atiku in the unfolding coalition among opposition leaders to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027,
Obi, who visited the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kubwa in Abuja on Monday, said that contrary to insinuations, he was not desperate for any position.
He said: “The only coalition I am interested in is the one against hunger, poverty, and the bad state of healthcare and education in the country. I am not desperate for any position,” he said.
Recall that the former governor of Anambra state came third behind President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, with many analysts believing that a coalition between him, Atiku, and other opposition parties will defeat Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Obi dismissed a deal to run as a vice presidential candidate in 2027, stressing that those saying he had an agreement to deputise anyone were playing politics of selfish ambitions detrimental to the growth of the country.
He also made a financial donation to a school project in the diocese.
According to him, because the government has failed woefully to deliver free and qualitative basic education, the church had had to bear the huge burden.
Obi was seen with a former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, exchanging pleasantries with President Tinubu after the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Sunday.
Commenting on that, Obi said that he was not an enemy of the President and only accorded the necessary courtesy to him in Rome as protocol demanded.
He stated that the only enemy he has is corruption and corrupt leaders who have made life difficult for the Nigerians.