Obi as VP? That’s an Insult! – Keyamo Slams Coalition’s 2027 Plot

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has strongly criticised the newly formed opposition coalition over speculations that Peter Obi, former Labour Party presidential candidate, may be offered a vice-presidential slot ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reacting to the coalition’s adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its official platform, Keyamo described the idea of Obi playing second fiddle in the alliance as both “insulting” and “politically senseless.”

“The person the old, cunning guards want to take for a ride in all of this is Peter Obi,” Keyamo said in a statement on Wednesday, July 2.

“They want his votes, but don’t want to give him their presidential ticket. That’s why David Mark is the interim Chairman. Those who understand the game know what this means.”

The minister argued that Obi, who secured victories in the South-East and South-South during the 2023 presidential election, should not be relegated in favour of other candidates who performed less impressively.

“How do you justify making someone who won two regions a running mate to someone who only won one?” Keyamo asked.

“It’s a slap in the face of his supporters and an insult to the democratic will of the people.”

The newly announced coalition, which brings together opposition heavyweights including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola, has formalised the ADC as its unifying political platform.

Diaspora Digital Media reported that the announcement was made on Wednesday, during a high-level strategy meeting in Abuja.

As part of the interim leadership arrangement, former Senate President David Mark was appointed National Chairman, while Aregbesola was named interim National Secretary.

While the coalition has been welcomed in some political circles as a much-needed counterweight to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insiders suggest that disagreements over zoning, candidacy, and power-sharing could threaten the fragile alliance.

“It’s Atiku’s Show” — Keyamo Claims PDP Faction Has Hijacked the Alliance

Keyamo did not mince words in his assessment of the coalition’s motives.

He alleged that the new formation is merely a continuation of the PDP, rebranded for electoral relevance.

“This is Atiku’s show, pure and simple,” he said. “What we’re witnessing is not a coalition but the desperate regrouping of former PDP chieftains under a different banner.”

He dismissed the significance of APC defectors within the alliance, claiming they had little electoral value and had either opposed President Bola Tinubu during the last election or failed to deliver their constituencies.

“Their exit helps the APC,” he said. “It clears out internal opposition and strengthens the party ahead of 2027.”

As of the time of filing this report, Peter Obi has not publicly responded to Keyamo’s remarks or clarified his position in the emerging alliance.

Political observers say Obi’s silence may be strategic, as negotiations continue behind the scenes.

However, many within his support base  especially the youth-driven “Obidient” movement  have expressed concern over any plan that positions him as a vice-presidential candidate.

A source close to the former Anambra governor told Diaspora Digital Media that Obi is “very aware of his political capital and won’t allow himself to be used as a pawn.”

With 2027 still over a year away, attention will now turn to how the coalition intends to navigate its internal contradictions  and whether it can rally behind a single, credible candidate capable of unseating the APC.

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