A former chairman of Nigeria’s Police Service Commission has called on ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step aside and back Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Simon Okeke made the appeal in a statement on Tuesday, arguing that Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 election, stands a stronger chance of securing broad national support.
He said Obi enjoys wider public acceptance, even drawing comparisons with Nnamdi Azikiwe, one of Nigeria’s most revered political figures.
Okeke acknowledged that Obi, like any political figure, is not without flaws, but maintained that his perceived shortcomings do not outweigh his growing popularity across the country.
The former PSC chairman urged Atiku to prioritise national interest over personal ambition by supporting Obi as a consensus candidate, potentially under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The comments come amid early political realignments and behind-the-scenes manoeuvring as Nigeria’s opposition figures weigh possible alliances ahead of the next general election.
