Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has warned Labour Party Peter Obi that agreeing to run as a vice presidential candidate in the 2027 elections could be a major mistake.
In a recent interview on Channels Television, Bwala cautioned that such a move could significantly undermine Obi’s political influence and damage his reputation among his loyal supporters.
Noting Obi’s history in the political arena, Bwala pointed out that the Labour Party leader first gained significant attention in the 2019 election when he ran as the vice presidential candidate for Atiku Abubakar’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obi again made headlines in 2023 when he ran for president under the Labour Party, earning strong backing from many Nigerians, particularly from the youth.
There have been recent discussions about Obi potentially joining an opposition coalition, which Atiku Abubakar announced in March. The purpose of this proposed coalition would be to mount a serious challenge to the ruling party in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
However, Bwala remains skeptical about the coalition’s chances of success, especially if Obi were to accept a position as a vice presidential candidate.
“Peter Obi will be making the biggest mistake of his life to now come together under the agreement he will be a running mate,” Bwala remarked. He stressed that Obi’s supporters, commonly known as the “Obidients,” are committed to him as a presidential candidate, not as a vice presidential option.
“Because all of the people you are hearing ‘Obidient’ had only one contract with Peter Obi—that he will run for president. The minute Peter Obi drops the idea of running for president himself, I can guarantee you he will lose the majority of the people that are following him.”
Bwala also speculated that Obi himself might not be comfortable with such an arrangement, suggesting that he could find it difficult to accept a subordinate role in the political landscape.
The Special Adviser did not stop at advising Obi. He also praised President Bola Tinubu for his political experience and strength. Bwala confidently declared that it would be nearly impossible for any opposition candidate to defeat Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
“Let’s leave joke aside. Most of them are prodigies of Asho, a man who won election when all the forces were against him, will now lose election when he’s in power, when you have the opportunity to deliver on good governance, you have the opportunity to stretch your hand and make it a national consensus, as he’s doing,” Bwala explained.
Bwala went further to criticize the proposed opposition coalition, suggesting that it is already showing signs of failure. “But those who are close watchers of events and activities and are not moved by emotions, will see signs that indicate that the coalition is dead on arrival.”
According to Bwala, several key political figures are already shifting their alliances, with governors and senators from various parties joining forces with President Tinubu. He argued that despite the president’s occasional mistakes, his leadership qualities make him a formidable force in Nigerian politics.
“The President may not be perfect, he may make mistakes, but one fact is clear, his head and his heart is right, and there is no politician alive today that has political gravitas to gather people as much as the president. We are not bothered,” Bwala concluded.
