2027: Obi Will Not Be Allowed To Rig Election In South-East – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed concerns over a possible opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 general election and declared that Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will not be allowed to dominate or manipulate the electoral process in the South-East.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER, the Lagos State spokesperson of the APC, Seye Oladejo, said the party was not threatened by speculation about a potential Atiku Abubakar/Peter Obi ticket under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any other platform.

Oladejo claimed that Obi had been demystified and would no longer enjoy the level of electoral dominance he recorded in the South-East during the last election.

He cited a Pan Atlantic Research report that highlighted widespread electoral irregularities in the region during the previous polls.

“Obi has been demystified. He will not have a free reign in the South-East like he did the other time, rigging elections right, left and centre.

“There have been studies that revealed that elections in the South-East, where he dominated, were massively rigged. There was this report by Pan Atlantic Research that I wrote a release about that showed clearly that elections were massively rigged in the South-East,” Oladejo alleged.

According to him, the growing influence of the APC in the South-East, coupled with the defection of governors and other prominent political figures to the ruling party, would prevent Obi from riding “roughshod” over the electoral process.

“All the bigwigs coming on board the APC — the governors, notable political leaders — they’re not going to sit back and watch Obi and whatever party (I’m not too sure about the party he is going to run, or whatever platform he chooses to run) ride roughshod over anybody,” he said.

Oladejo also dismissed the political strength of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a “spent force” with limited prospects ahead of 2027.

“Atiku is a spent force. He is having his last run, so to say, and we’ll be happy to kindly retire him. I’m not too sure about retirement to Yola, maybe to Dubai at the end of the elections,” he said, adding that the APC had nothing to fear regardless of any opposition combination that may emerge.

“No matter the combination they come up with, we have the antidote: Atiku/Obi, Atiku/Amaechi, Atiku whoever,” Oladejo said.

He further expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure a decisive victory if the election were held today.

“Whatever may happen, Asiwaju is going to win, and he will win handsomely, hands down, without any controversy. There is every pointer to that, and there is no indication of the possibility of any surprise — none. Let the election come up tomorrow; Asiwaju will win convincingly,” Oladejo said.

Speculation has intensified in recent weeks over a possible Atiku/Obi joint ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, many “Obidients” — supporters of Obi — have insisted that their candidate will not accept a running mate position for anyone, a stance that could fragment the opposition ahead of next year’s general elections.