APC Chieftain Speaks On Plan To Stop Peter Obi From Contesting

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East, Dr George Agbakahi, has dismissed claims by former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, that there are plans to stop him from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

Naija News reports that Agbakahi described Obi’s allegations as baseless, unfortunate and politically motivated.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Agbakahi said claims of executive interference in the electoral process should be supported with credible and verifiable evidence.

Reacting to Obi’s claims, the APC chieftain said there was no publicly available evidence linking the Federal Government or the Presidency to any plan to prevent any qualified opposition figure from contesting the 2027 election.

According to him, legal issues surrounding the registration status of the Nigeria Democratic Congress were already before the courts and arose from disputes involving political parties, not actions initiated by the Federal Government.

He said Nigeria’s constitution guaranteed the independence of the judiciary and provided legal avenues for dissatisfied parties to seek redress.

Agbakahi also said the Independent National Electoral Commission was constitutionally empowered to regulate political parties and conduct elections without interference.

He noted that all political parties were expected to comply with constitutional and statutory requirements, adding that legal and regulatory scrutiny should not be seen as political persecution.

The APC chieftain argued that presidential aspirants must show strategic foresight, institutional preparedness and organisational competence in managing their political platforms.

‘Elections Won Through Mobilisation’

Agbakahi alleged that Obi’s claims were an attempt to present routine legal and regulatory issues as a coordinated campaign against him.

He said elections in Nigeria were won through organisation, voter mobilisation, persuasion and coalition-building, not conspiracy theories.

He described President Bola Tinubu as a seasoned politician who built a strong national political structure through years of coalition-building, party organisation and electoral success.

Agbakahi urged political actors to resolve legal disputes through the courts, address organisational weaknesses through reforms, and contest elections through policies and ideas.

He added that the 2027 presidential election remained open to all qualified candidates who meet constitutional and legal requirements.