2027 Presidency: Peter Obi-Kwankwaso Alliance May Unsettle Atiku – Amadi

The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Sam Amadi, has said the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, must expand his support base across Northern Nigeria if he hopes to succeed in the next general elections.

Naija News reports that Amadi stated this on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, while analysing the political implications of the Obi-Kwankwaso joint ticket ahead of the polls.

According to him, the choice of former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as Obi’s running mate reflects the need to broaden the NDC candidate’s electoral map, especially in the North.

Amadi said Obi’s political strength would depend largely on his ability to move beyond his traditional support base and make strong inroads into Northern Nigeria.

He explained that the decision to run with Kwankwaso was strategic, given the former governor’s political influence in parts of the North.

“The strategic choice of Rabi’u Kwankwaso as running mate is a recognition that Obi’s most urgent need is to expand his electoral map across Northern Nigeria,” he said.

Amadi noted that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket could create a major challenge for other opposition candidates, particularly the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar.

He said, “This will be difficult with Atiku and all the issues we know surrounding him, but that is what politics is made of.”

The political analyst said the coming election season would be shaped by narratives, perceptions and attempts by different political camps to influence public opinion.

According to him, the contest would not only be about party platforms but also about how candidates manage regional alliances, voter expectations and political messaging.

“For now, we are going to be stuck with optics driven more by political narratives and not really plugging into the depths of this resistance,” Amadi said.

He suggested that the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance could force rival candidates to rethink their strategies, especially in states where Northern voting blocs may prove decisive.

Amadi also warned that the build-up to the campaigns could witness an increase in divisive political messages.

He said some political actors might deliberately frame narratives to achieve certain outcomes, adding that Nigerians should expect intense messaging once campaigns fully begin.

“This is the period we’re going to have a lot of messages that are contrived to drive political outcomes. We expect that when the campaign comes, we’re going to expect a huge moment of hate speeches,” he said.