The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last general election in 2023, Peter Obi, has revealed that he is not interested in forming a coalition with other parties solely to gain power in the upcoming 2027 elections.
Obi made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja, while speaking on the sidelines of a national conference on “Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria.”
The conference, which was organized by several reputable organizations, including the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), is aimed at discussing pathways to good governance and political integrity in Nigeria.
When asked about the proposed coalition, Obi said that his primary concern is the well-being of Nigeria and its citizens.
“For me, what is important is let’s discuss Nigeria. Whether we are going to do coalition…let’s talk about the future of the country,” he said.
Obi expressed his disinterest in coalitions focused solely on grabbing power.
He added, “But often, we abandon the country and what we need to do, talking about power grab.
“I’m not interested in any coalition for the purpose of taking power. It is about discussing Nigeria. How do we care about securing Nigerians? How do we care about the common person in Nigeria? How do we care about our children being in school? That is the most important thing for now.”
Obi has been in the news lately over alleged plans to team up with other opposition presidential candidates to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the next general election.
The former Anambra State Governor also spoke about the need to put an end to the monetization of politics in Nigeria.
His words: “That’s what we need to remove, because what you’re doing is that you’re encouraging stealing of public money. Because if I steal it and use it to win an election, I get all the power and everything, including immunity not to be prosecuted. So we must stop it. That is what is driving the stealing.”
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, also spoke at the conference.
He said the conference was holding at a time when democracy as a system of government was being challenged the world over to reveal its essence.
Shettima stated: “Our failure to prioritise the learning of history means that older generations, who appreciate the superiority of democratic systems over others, have the honourable task for creating a democratic system that speaks for itself in terms of impact only on the lives of citizens as a huge responsibility.
“Nigeria’s democracy must mean a lot more than asking Nigerians to line up every four years to elect leaders. It must mean, in practical terms, that leaders commit to the demands of elected leadership in very transparent manners.
“That mandates giving to them to govern, make themselves to people, to the interests of the people, custodians of their assets and protectors of their interests. The best leaders are people who exercise power only to promote the interests of their people.”
A former Vice-President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also spoke at the event.
