Supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and loyalists of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso have declared support for Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The endorsement was announced in Abuja during a coalition gathering involving members of the Obidient Movement, the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the Coalition of Atiku Support Groups Initiative.
Speaking at the meeting, Kwankwasiyya spokesman Habibu Muhammed said the decision to align with Obi was based on what the group described as his leadership record and commitment to national development.
According to him, Nigerians are becoming more interested in leaders with proven achievements rather than politicians driven by trial-and-error governance.
“In 2027, the common people will decide the direction of the country,” Muhammed said, adding that both Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso represent the kind of leadership many Nigerians are demanding.
He praised Kwankwaso’s record in education and governance, recalling how the former Kano governor returned to office in 2011 after losing an earlier election and went on to establish another state university.
“Nothing transforms a society more than education,” he said. “When you invest in young people, you build the future of the nation.”
Muhammed also explained that the movement had accepted the need to support another region in the interest of fairness and national unity, insisting that competence and track record should remain the major criteria for leadership.
“That is why we believe Peter Obi is the kind of leader we can work with,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Atiku Support Groups Initiative, Obinna Okorie, appealed directly to Atiku Abubakar to back Obi’s presidential ambition in 2027.
Okorie said members of the coalition arrived at the decision after studying the country’s political direction and Obi’s growing popularity across different regions.
“We respect Atiku as our leader, but after carefully looking at the political realities in Nigeria, we believe Peter Obi should be supported,” he said.
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, described the gathering as proof that opposition forces were gradually coming together despite attempts to divide them.
“Anybody saying the coalition has collapsed is not serious,” Tanko said. “What we are seeing here today shows that groups loyal to Atiku, Kwankwaso and Obi can work together for a common purpose.”
The endorsements come amid growing political consultations and alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections, as opposition figures continue talks on possible coalitions to challenge the ruling APC.
