The Obidient Movement, in a statement signed by Nana Kazaure, the Director of Strategic Communication and Media, said it had received numerous inquiries from members at home and abroad, as well as the general public, following claims about the alleged offer.
The Obidient Movement, which comprises largely supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, denied reports that Obi had been offered the position of running mate to Atiku Abubakar in a coalition planned for the 2027 general elections.
It described the reports as unfounded and warned against misinformation.
“While frank and cordial engagements with our partners and stakeholders towards a coalition continue amicably, the Obidient Movement would like to state emphatically that there is no truth or basis to the reports whatsoever,” the statement said.
It reaffirmed Mr. Obi’s commitment to fighting “bad governance, corruption, hunger, poverty, poor healthcare, out-of-school children, and the myriad of other problems daily afflicting the people of Nigeria.”
The movement added, “We want politics that is progressive, standing firmly with the people and serving the great people of Nigeria, and not politics just for the sake of grabbing power.”
Peter Obi remains a member of the Labour Party, and “if ever this changes, he will make that announcement himself,” the movement said.
This denial follows a media report that Atiku had proposed the vice-presidential slot to Obi during a private meeting in the United Kingdom earlier this year, assuring that he would serve only one term before handing over power.
A source revealed, “Atiku and Obi met earlier this year in the UK. That was where Atiku first mooted the idea of a coalition and urged Obi to be his running mate. Obi then asked for time to think it over and consult his loyalists.”
Another insider claimed, “But recent developments show that Obi has accepted to be Atiku’s running mate, and Atiku has also agreed to serve a single four-year term and hand over to the former Anambra State governor.
“They have both agreed to sign a written agreement if necessary. Obi is trying to get the buy-in of his loyalists before this is formally announced.”
The proposed coalition recalls the 2019 presidential election, when Obi was Atiku’s running mate under the Peoples Democratic Party, but they lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.
Due to internal crises in both the Labour Party and PDP, coalition leaders are reportedly considering the African Democratic Congress as a possible platform.
Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, earlier said, “As far as I am concerned, after I met with him in Benin, there was nothing of this nature on the table.”
The Obidient Movement urged Nigerians and the media to avoid speculation and focus on national development.
