I’m not fighting Tinubu, my battle is against bad leadership — Obi

In what appears to be a direct response to a whirlwind of speculation following a high-profile encounter at the Vatican, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, Mr. Peter Obi has come forward to set the record straight.

The former governor of Anambra State said his fight is not with President Bola Tinubu—but with the very soul of Nigeria’s leadership crisis.

Obi made the clarifying statement on Sunday, May 19, during a media chat after pictures of him and Tinubu attending the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome surfaced online and sent social media into a frenzy.

“President Tinubu and I are not fighting. I am not fighting anybody. My fight is against bad governance, hunger, poverty, and the menace of out-of-school children,” Obi said.

This latest statement underlines a consistent theme in Obi’s political message since the 2023 elections—a laser focus on systemic issues affecting the Nigerian people rather than personal rivalries or political drama.

Moreover, the meeting at the Vatican was unplanned, according to Obi, who explained that both he and President Tinubu were there for spiritual purposes—not political theater.

“It was a church service. It wasn’t a political summit. Let’s stop interpreting every handshake as a deal,” Obi noted.

This comes amid fresh reports of political coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

It is been reported in some section of the media that a possible coalition between Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar could be possible.

But Obi, however, has dismissed such notions as premature.

“What we are building is a coalition against hunger, poverty, and failing schools—not a coalition for elections. The time for politics will come. But for now, our people are suffering,” he stated.

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