In this interview with Chief Paul Agbebia Obi, national secretary and spokesperson of The Community of Renaissance Thinkers Foundation (Nigeria) and a chieftain of the PDP and a prominent figure of the Coalition from Cross River State, he says if Opposition Coalition chooses a Southern candidate, it will win the 2027 presidential election. Excerpts.
On the 2027 election and the opposition coalition’s chances of success
The Coalition enjoys the support of Nigerians, who have all been stretched beyond elastic limits and have already collapsed under the burdens of a failed government of tax collectors. However, the Coalition must zone its ticket to the South; otherwise, it will collapse. Any attempt to zone the ticket to the North or remain indecisive — the Opposition Coalition of whatever Name or Party will die naturally.
On Atiku from the North wanting the ADC ticket
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will not be President of Nigeria in his present life cycle. In discussions among youthful voters and their mothers — who will decide who wins — Atiku is no longer mentioned. Nobody discusses him at all; it is as good as if he no longer exists to the notice of Nigerian youthful voters. He should forget it. We cannot trust his generation again. It’s unfortunate.
On his preferred candidates from the South
We have credible hands who will clean up the mess created by these tax collectors, protect the Dangote refinery, and stop the importation of PMS. They include Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Mr. Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and my humble self. Give any of us the ticket and, before 3 p.m. on election day, local and international media will bid Tinubu farewell. Tinubu stands no chance in 2027.
On insecurity
Tinubu’s security aides behave as if they know the bandits very well, are investors in the business, and keep them for a purpose. Look at the meeting in Katsina — a peace talk. Ab initio, what was the trouble? Did our peaceful farmers offend anyone? We hear the conditions were that they be allowed to stay without harassment by security agencies, that farmers pay royalties to farm, and that their women are at the mercy of terrorists. In a country with so much investment in security — we have fighter jets, everything — our army can crush them. What is stopping us? Benue has been forgotten. Look at what happened in Kadarko; their governor is part of the compromise — he prefers to lie that all is well. The government needs to clearly call it genocide against the indigenous Northern population and go after the sponsors and field fighters. However, the indigenous North and South will choose a president who will wipe out the criminals and prosecute them.
On FCT Minister Nyesom Wike
The war he leads against the opposition will fail, bringing him to his political end. Soon, when he fails, he will only be read about in law books for how he manipulated the judiciary, how much damage he caused to the judiciary’s image, how greedy he was, and the negatives he created. Whoever wants to destroy this nation and its democracy will be destroyed by that war. We cannot afford a dictatorship in Nigeria.
On PDP governors moving to APC, making the opposition weak
The governors — APC, PDP, LP — and the President are our problems as a nation. We even prefer that all of them move to APC; let’s know that our enemies are all facing Nigerians together. Whoever thinks governors will make him win should wait till 2027. The governors all gathering in the APC will make the defeat easier.
