Ego VS Alliance: Between Atiku, Peter Obi, Who Steps Down In A High-Stakes Coalition

The G100 coalition’s recent call for a mega-opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu hinges on a single, difficult question: who steps down? Ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The dilemma centres on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Nigeria Democratic (NDC) Counterpart, Peter Obi.

Peter Obi and Atiku, who shared a ticket in 2019 and ran separate campaigns in 2023, face a pivotal choice between personal ambition, ego, and a united front.

Atiku brings deep political machinery, vast financial capital, and an established national network spanning decades. His supporters argue that his experience and historical footprint in Northern political corridors make him the most pragmatic candidate to secure broad regional backing.

However, stepping down would require Atiku to abandon a lifetime pursuit of the presidency at a time when political time is inherently running out.

On the other hand, Peter Obi commands a passionate, movement-driven base, particularly among youth and urban voters seeking a structural shift from the political establishment. His supporters view his candidacy as non-negotiable, arguing that succumbing to the traditional political class would alienate his core demographic and dilute the movement’s momentum.

Therefore, for Peter Obi, stepping down risks converting organic, reformist enthusiasm into political apathy.

Who Should Step Down

While Atiku is silent about withdrawing from the race to build a united front,  Peter Obi, in a recent interview on ARISE Television, explained why he cannot unilaterally step down Atiku Abubakar.

Peter Obi said the issue had gone beyond individual ambitions, arguing that any possible political arrangement would have to involve the parties involved rather than just the candidates.

Recall that a few weeks ago, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had pleaded with Atiku to withdraw from the race, but the appeal was heavily criticised by the ADC and All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, ADC chieftain, Chille Igbawua, described Kwankwaso’s plea as an insult and absolutely irresponsible.

Igbawua questioned Kwankwaso over the suggestion that Atiku would be taken care of, stressing that suggestions that Atiku’s age and health should disqualify him are unfounded.

In an exclusive interview with Naija News, the Chief Promoter of the Alternative Movement, Segun Showunmi, described the call for a united front for the opposition parties as a dangerous agenda and too late.

He said, “The administrative, the in-house arrangements before candidates emerge have been tried, and it has been engaged, and it has been exhausted. They went as far as coalescing under one party. The circumstances and challenges that led them to decamp from that place are within them. Now that we have reached the point where candidates have emerged, they are already marketing themselves and all. What then would be the parameter by which you would say someone should step down? Were you to tell Peter to step down, would that not even be an insult to his effort, his industry, his followers, the people of the Southeast and their agitation? And if you were to tell Atiku to step down, that would not be fair to him due to s of years of joining ambitions, suffering, investment, and what have you? So it has gotten to a point now where I think that those who are talking about the coalition of stepping down at this time are quite immature.

“Beyond the presidency, these parties have also gotten candidates for other areas, like governors, senators, Reps, so by what magic are you going to do that? So I think those talking about this kind of nonsense right now are quite unfortunate. It’s a very unfortunate, very sinister, almost dangerous agenda to tell anybody at this time of the day, late in the day, to go and step down for who? This stepping down thing is too late. When they started this journey. When they started this journey of coalition, I predicted that it was an effort in futility, and I have been proven right.

“Sometimes I do pass on my opinion. I give that opinion without any confirmation. It has nothing to do with whether it favours me or not. I give the opinion almost like an academic analyst looking at all sides and outlining potential outcomes. And oftentimes I have been very correct in my analysis. So on this particular occasion too, I think it’s a misdirected effort. People should be allowed to go and try their best. It is not only the person who eventually becomes the winner who participates in democracy.

“The person who loses gallantly and seems to serve and organise his ideas and all that, even deepens the process for whoever is going to win. So, if you ask me, it is a wasted, misdirected, and destabilising effort. It is an effort of futility. It is also meddlesome and unnecessary for the era. Let them do their best. And let them be prepared to accept the outcome of the people’s bad period.”

Asked about who really holds the bargaining chip between Peter Obi and Atiku? If perhaps ego is set aside for a possible coalition being pushed by G100, Showunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said, “I think G100 should go and find somewhere to sit down and do something more sensible with their time. When they had all the opportunities to achieve this objective, they couldn’t. Before they were able to move from all their various parties and all that. I wouldn’t feel Peter would be particularly good at serving, but I would agree to follow them on that journey, which we predicted wouldn’t necessarily be a happy issue. Perhaps if he hadn’t been disturbing the home space with the narrative of coalition, Peter would have settled down in his Labour Party, and they would have solved the problem there, and fixed his election the way he is trying to do now. Instead, he has finally done what he has done now: jumping from pillar to post, serving all sorts of masters, but serving none.

“Who are the people that are even promoting? Where is their gravitas? Are they going to tell Sowore to follow through on his own ambition? Or are they going to tell Adebayo to sit down and follow?”

When questioned on the biggest obstacle to Peter Obi and Atiku’s alliance, Sowore stated, “It takes a lot of courage. It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of experience. And it costs a lot. So I think that this election, when they were shouting, they didn’t mean to be a one-party state. Not that they have finished that stupid argument that they were making. Now they’re at the point where they are deceiving themselves again. Confusing themselves, confusing their followers and all. The election is not before us. And every man can pay for whatever he wants to pay for in his personal way.

“If they were going to be successful at any coalition, they would have done it even before the various parties chose their presidential candidate. I remember in the early days of this thing, when they were going to start the coalition, I did warn that you cannot plan an alliance without setting a candidate; you have to be clear on who the presidential candidate is, what the power-sharing model is before you even commence the formation of a political. Everyone has gone ahead to look for a political party they want

“They can’t coalesce under PDP, NNPP, ADC, NDP for reasons best known to them. And now you are asking them to coalesce at the point where maybe people just want to busy themselves in the public space and allow media people and people that are easily impressionable to be excited. It’s late. It’s very late in the day. It’s a dead-on-arrival matter, and I think those promoting this should be arrested and stop confusing the electorate.”

In conclusion, if an alliance fails to field a single candidate, personal ambition will likely continue to outweigh collective strategy, and the split opposition votes will favour President Tinubu.