Obi Won’t Join ‘Dollarised’ Primaries, Obidients Fire Back at Atiku
By: Abudu Olalekan
The political chessboard for 2027 is already being set. And the first moves are, well, something else. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar made a splash. He joined the African Democratic Congress, the ADC, and then, in an interview with BBC Hausa, he said something that got everyone talking. He said he’d step aside for a younger candidate if he lost in a primary. A noble sentiment, right? Not so fast.
The thing is, in Nigerian politics, words are never just words. And Peter Obi’s army of supporters, the famous ‘Obidients’, weren’t buying it for a second. To them, it was all just political theatre. Mind games. They see it as the same old script from a different actor.
Speaking with Reportersroom, the face of the movement, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, didn’t hold back. He was almost amused by Atiku’s declaration. “I’m happy Atiku is saying what he has in mind,” Tanko started, his tone calm but firm. “It shows there’s something we can hold him accountable for.” But then came the real point. The line in the sand. “But Peter Obi is willing to bring new political ideology into the system.”
And what is that ideology? It’s the exact opposite of what Tanko says is the norm. “I can say it authoritatively that an Obi will never go into a primary election where he has to buy out the delegates,” he stated. It was a bold claim, but one that defines their movement. “We know that is the norm in other camps.” He painted a stark picture. “It is a fact that in Nigeria of today, delegates in every primary are being purchased. It is even in dollars and not naira.” He posed a rhetorical question that hangs in the air. For a generation that hasn’t “stolen or receive so much money from governors’ purse,” how do they even compete?
Atiku’s interview had caused a ripple. He said the ADC prioritized youth and women. He even called himself “a man of one Qibla,” a strong statement of loyalty. But for many, it was just talk.
Then came the reality check. Former Senator Shehu Sani, a man who knows the gritty insides of Nigerian politics, threw a bucket of cold water on the whole idea. In a post on X, he was brutally honest. “His Excellency the Waziri reportedly said he would step aside if a younger candidate wins the primaries… The keyword here is PRIMARIES,” he wrote, emphasizing the word. His final line was a knockout punch. “It’s easier for a camel to pass through the hole of a needle than to beat the Waziri in primaries. Party delegates are a special breed of people.” Ouch. He wasn’t wrong, and everyone knew it.
Just when you thought the story was clear, it got murky. A few hours after the buzz, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, came out with a statement. A classic political clarification. He insisted everyone had misunderstood. After a “thorough review,” Ibe said Atiku never said he would step down. Not at all. What he meant, Ibe explained, was that if a young person won fairly, he would support them. It’s a subtle but important difference. He accused reporters of “stretching interpretation to the point of mischief.”
So where does that leave us? The ADC, unveiled with much fanfare as a grand coalition to challenge the current government, is still struggling to get its big fish to fully commit. Atiku is in, but his message is already being cleaned up. El-Rufai is watching from the sidelines. And Peter Obi? He’s not being rushed. He’s staying put in the Labour Party until he’s good and ready. The game is afoot. And it’s already messy.
