Presidency Dismisses Obi’s Claim Of Plot To Block Candidacy

The Presidency has dismissed allegations by the Peter Obi Media Office of a plot to block the former Labour Party presidential candidate from contesting the 2027 election, insisting that President Bola Tinubu has no connection with the crises rocking opposition parties.

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Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, was responding to LEADERSHIP enquiries when he described attempts to link the President to the developments as unfair and misplaced.

“I wonder why all these incompetent politicians are turning President Bola Tinubu into their favourite whipping boy. The President has nothing to do with Obi’s abandonment of the Labour Party or the jam he appears to have run into in the ADC,” he said.

Onanuga accused Peter Obi of failing to demonstrate leadership in resolving the crisis within the Labour Party after using it to contest the 2023 presidential election.

After using the party to vie for the highest office in the country, he said, Obi “dumped it in a classic case of use-and-dump” and failed to show leadership in resolving its internal challenges.

Instead, he said Obi moved closer to his support base, describing it as “his IPOB base, the so-called Obidient movement, which is more active online.”

“You would think the man would transform the movement into a political party. But no, he didn’t do any such thing. He is just incapable of building an organic party of his own,” Onanuga stated.

He said because Obi needed a political structure to realise what he described as his “doomed dream” of winning the presidency, he sought to join another platform.

“Because he knows he needs a political structure to realise his doomed dream of winning the presidency, he shopped for a cooked soup to partake in the ensuing party,” he said.

Onanuga added that Obi subsequently moved to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which he described as a “hijacked” platform, alleging that it was acquired as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) by Atiku Abubakar from Ralph Nwosu.

“No due diligence appeared to have been conducted by the new owners, and thus, the nightmare they are confronting today,” he said.

The presidential aide maintained that the crisis within the ADC has no link whatsoever to President Tinubu.

“What is the connection of Tinubu with the ADC crisis? Absolutely none. Whatever problem they have is self-inflicted,” he said.

He urged Obi and his associates to resolve internal disagreements within their new party, including issues involving Nafiu Gombe and other aggrieved members.

“Obi and his co-travellers need to get their acts together, clear the mess in their new party and then compete for the presidential ticket. Let them go and settle with Nafiu Gombe and other disenchanted ADC members,” he said.

Onanuga further downplayed Obi’s chances ahead of the 2027 election, stating that he remains politically irrelevant until he secures a party’s ticket.

“As of now, Obi, without being made a candidate, is inconsequential for 2027. The fact that he came third in 2023 does not mean he will have the same showing in 2027, if he ever becomes a candidate of any party. 2023 is not like 2027,” he said.

He added that President Tinubu, as an incumbent, has “many achievements to flaunt,” which he said Obi has failed to acknowledge.

Onanuga also dismissed claims by the Peter Obi Media Office that the Federal Government was behind crises in opposition parties or attempting to deny Obi a platform, describing such allegations as “blackmail” and “baloney.”

“All this blackmail against the President is sheer baloney, a very unfair attempt to besmirch his democratic credentials,” he said.

Earlier, the Media Office of Peter Obi had alleged a “clandestine plot” to prevent the former Labour Party presidential candidate from contesting in the 2027 general election, warning that such actions pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

In a press statement signed by spokesperson Ibrahim Umar on April 3, 2026, the office accused President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party of orchestrating efforts to weaken Obi’s political standing ahead of the anticipated January 2027 poll.

According to the statement, the alleged plan began shortly after the 2023 elections, with attempts to destabilize the Labour Party through internal crises. The media office claimed that despite Obi’s efforts to reconcile factions within the party, external interference—allegedly backed by elements within government and the judiciary—undermined those attempts.

The statement referenced a 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the party’s leadership, alleging that the decision was ignored and subsequently weakened by lower court actions. It further claimed that Obi’s departure from the party on December 31, 2025, was followed by swift judicial decisions resolving the leadership dispute days later.

After aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obi reportedly faced renewed opposition. The media office alleged that legislative amendments to the Electoral Act were introduced to target the ADC and obstruct Obi’s candidacy.

Tensions reportedly escalated following Obi’s March 22, 2026 visit to Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the NNPP. The visit, which drew support from Kwankwaso’s political base, was described as a turning point that intensified political hostilities.

The situation reportedly reached a climax after a major ADC rally in Kano, where Kwankwaso declared his alignment with the party. The statement alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently reinterpreted a court ruling in a way that led to the delisting of ADC leadership, potentially jeopardizing Obi’s eligibility to contest.

Describing the developments as a coordinated effort to “disenfranchise” Obi and engineer a one-party system, the media office warned of broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic system.

“This disturbing trend represents a blatant attempt to undermine democracy and impose authoritarian control,” the statement said, adding that millions of Nigerians—particularly young people, women, and professionals—could be denied meaningful political choice.

The media office called on both domestic and international stakeholders to pay close attention to the situation and to support efforts to uphold democratic principles, transparency, and electoral fairness.

It emphasized that a functioning democracy must allow voters to freely choose among candidates and urged authorities to ensure that Obi is given a fair opportunity to present his vision to the electorate.