Atiku Faces Calls to Step Aside Amid Rising Obi-Kwankwaso Coalition

The Kwankwassiyya movement, led by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and the Obidient movement, loyal to former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, are joining forces against the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the run-up to the primary election. This puts more pressure on Atiku Abubakar, the former Nigerian Vice President, to give up his plans to run for president in 2027.

There are reports that Dele Momodu’s group, which is supporting an Atiku/Obi ticket, is pushing hard for it. However, other party members want Obi and Kwankwaso to run for the ADC in the upcoming election.

Some people in the party think that the ADC can’t win the election without Obi as the presidential candidate, but others think that Atiku is more experienced and will get more votes from the North.

Reports say that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is behind the push for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket. He is also calling for a united opposition against President Bola Tinubu.

People who know politics say that the new push for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket was meant to weaken Atiku’s hold on the opposition and stop the 2023 election from being as divided as it was.

Atiku should step down, they say.

Over the weekend, it was reported that ADC members in both the North and South of the country are putting pressure on Atiku to step down for the younger generation.

Some important people in the party are reportedly contacting the former VP in private, while others have made their views known in public.

Victor Umeh, a senator from Anambra Central, said on national TV that Atiku should step aside for younger candidates. He said that the former vice president is a respected figure in Nigerian politics and has been running for president since 2003.

Jimi Disu, a well-known media analyst, content provider, and blogger, said that President Tinubu will still win the election even if ADC runs Atiku.

He says that if Atiku agrees to step down for a younger person, he will be seen as a hero.

“Atiku would be a hero if he stepped down. It doesn’t have to be him.” He said, “I can already guess the outcome if Atiku and Tinubu face off in 2027.”

Atiku’s position

Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for president in 2023, has said that none of the other presidential candidates in the ADC can match his electoral strength, especially in the Northern Region.

The former VP said that Kwankwaso is no longer in charge of Kano and that the state is now divided between Kwankwaso and Governor Abba Yusuf.

Atiku, on the other hand, promised in public to support any consensus candidate that comes out of a fair election. He said, “Yes, I will step aside for any winner.”

When asked if that includes Obi, he said, “Of course, if he is a contender, why not?”

The Kwankwassiyya and Obidient movements are coming together to fight Atiku before the primary.

The Obi–Kwankwaso (OK) Movement, which was just started, has brought together supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso to make sure that no other candidate gets the party’s presidential ticket.

In an exclusive interview, Habibu Mohammad, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, said he was hopeful that Obi and Kwankwaso would be the ADC’s presidential and vice presidential candidates.

“We are working together and talking to each other to make sure we reach a common goal,” he said.

“I can tell you that the alignment is changing. My principal is actually willing to do anything that is legal to get Tinubu out of office. He is willing to do any job.

“My principal, Kwankwaso, has agreed to let Obi take over.” He is willing to do anything to help ADC get rid of President Tinubu.

“The primary election is not going to be like it was before, with delegates. That’s why the Kwankwassiyya Movement and the Obidient Movement are coming together. We are coming together to put on a good show against those who want to use dollars.

“We’re not going our separate ways anymore; we’re joining forces. We won’t give in to any primary that isn’t real.

“We are praying and hoping that Atiku will be like a father to us all so that we can keep giving him the respect he deserves.”

Atiku, Obi, and Kwankwaso supporters disagree on who should run for president.

There are reports that the fight for the ADC presidential ticket has caused problems between Atiku’s supporters and those who want Obi and Kwankwaso.

People who support Peter Obi and Kwankwaso’s joint ticket are on one side, and people who support Atiku Abubakar are on the other.

AbdulAziz Na’ibi Abubakar, one of Atiku’s biggest online supporters, said in a recent post on X that there would be a nationwide protest if Atiku steps down for any other candidate.

“If Atiku decides to step down for another candidate before 2027, there will be a protest across the country.

He said, “Nigerians will not be happy to miss another chance to see good government and real democracy.”

Many people, especially Obi-Kwankwaso supporters, were angry about the post. They didn’t agree with AbdulAziz and said that ADC can only win if Obi is on the ballot.

The Arewa Source also said on X that “Peter Obi supporters are his biggest enemies,” which supports AbdulAziz’s position.

“The North will not vote for any ticket that has Peter Obi on it.” It is the same as insulting all of Northern Nigeria to insult Atiku Abubakar.

Austin Okai, a leader of the ADC, told supporters of Atiku and Obi to stop the back-and-forth between their camps in response to the media war.

Okai said that the rising rhetoric could make political tensions worse before the next election.