Media entrepreneur, Chief Dele Momodu, has revealed that Peter Obi declined suggestions to align politically with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential race because he believed he was more popular than the ex-VP.
Momodu made the disclosure during an interview on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, where he recounted conversations he had with Obi regarding the possibility of working with Atiku.
According to him, he advised the former Anambra State governor to consider teaming up with Atiku, citing examples of political leaders who rose to the highest office after serving as vice presidents.
“I told Peter why don’t you go and work with Atiku. Atiku was the person who brought him to national prominence,” Momodu said.
He recalled that Atiku’s decision to pick Obi as his running mate in the 2019 presidential election was not universally accepted within the PDP.
“When Atiku picked Peter, the governors were angry but one thing about Atiku is that once he makes up his mind, he’s a very focused man,” he said.
Momodu said he presented Obi with several examples of politicians who leveraged deputy positions to eventually attain higher office.
“So, I told Peter, I said sir, Your Excellency, try and work with this man (Atiku), then I gave him copious examples. I said if Mahama was not a VP to Prof Atta Mills, maybe he would never be President of Ghana because he came from a minority just like Jonathan in Nigeria,” he said.
“I gave the example of Jonathan, I gave the example in America. Even Joe Biden, who was much older than Obama, still came back to become president because you’re able to demonstrate your capacity.”
The publisher of Ovation International said Obi, however, was not persuaded by the argument.
“You’ve always been a governor of a state but Peter told me he’s more popular than Atiku,” Momodu stated.
