Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has accused former presidential candidate Peter Obi of misleading his supporters about his 2027 political ambitions, alleging that Obi has reached an understanding to serve as running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In a strongly worded statement regarding the defection of Peter Obi to African Democratic Congress (ADC), Keyamo said Obi’s political actions amounted to “a merry-go-round,” claiming that the former Labour Party presidential candidate had joined a party “belonging solely to Atiku Abubakar” with a firm agreement to run as vice-presidential candidate.
According to the minister, Obi was being “dishonest” by allowing his supporters to believe he would again seek the presidency.
He maintained that while Obi had the constitutional right to join any party or change political positions, Nigerians deserved clarity rather than “rhetoric” portraying him as occupying a moral high ground.
“You went through all those troubles of leaving PDP in 2023 and joining Labour Party and building a whole movement just to prove a point to Atiku that you are good enough to be his running mate and no other person. Sad. Really sad,” Keyamo said.
He accused Obi of planning to keep his supporters hopeful until the “last minute” before announcing a vice-presidential ambition, describing this as an attempt to sway them to support what he called “structures of criminality.” Keyamo said Nigerians would “teach him a bitter lesson in 2027.”
Responding to suggestions that the ruling party was reacting out of fear of opposition figures, Keyamo dismissed such claims, saying the government would continue to “beam the searchlight” on political opponents just as they scrutinise those in power.
“But, pray, who is more afraid and desperate than a man and his supporters who crawl and beg for a Vice-Presidential ticket after parading you as the winner of a previous Presidential election?” he asked.
Keyamo also predicted that Atiku and Obi would miscalculate politically ahead of the 2027 elections, saying he would speak further on the matter “in due course.”
Neither Atiku Abubakar nor Peter Obi had responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
