A member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Aisha Yesufu, has said Peter Obi’s presidential bid in 2027 will be easier because his supporters have already built a strong political base across the country.
Yesufu said the support popularly known as the “Obidients” had done much of the groundwork during the 2023 presidential election, giving Obi a stronger platform ahead of the next election.
She stated this while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.
According to her, the 2023 election was the beginning of a political movement that showed Nigerians that a new political alternative was possible.
“2027 is even easier than 2023. 2023 you know you had to put in all that work, ‘let’s start it and see.’”
Yesufu said the movement gained more attention during the 2023 election after political developments in Edo State forced supporters to organise and mobilise themselves.
“But right now, everybody has seen it, Mr Peter Obi all over the country,” she said.
She also identified the reported alliance between Obi and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as another factor that could strengthen the party’s chances in 2027.
Yesufu said the combination of Obi’s supporters and Kwankwaso’s political structure could expand the party’s reach across different parts of the country.
“We have this alliance that has come between the Obidients and the Kwankwasiyya, and you are seeing Mr Peter Obi’s running mate, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso bringing in a whole lot into the union,” she said.
The NDC member also linked the party’s expected performance in 2027 to the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
She argued that the hardship experienced by many families could become an important factor in how voters make their choices at the polls.
Yesufu said Nigerians were increasingly more concerned about their ability to afford food and meet their daily needs than religious considerations in politics.
She suggested that issues such as the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket would have less influence on voters if economic conditions remained difficult.
On Tuesday, Obi’s convoy was stopped by youths while he was travelling on the Gboko-Makurdi road in Benue State to Yelwata, where he planned to visit communities and families affected by recent violence.
The incident led to criticism from some quarters, with suggestions that the former Anambra State governor should have continued with the visit.
But Yesufu defended the decision to discontinue the journey, describing it as a strategic move rather than an act of fear.
She described Obi as one of the most courageous politicians in the country and cited his previous visits to areas affected by insecurity.
“I have said this many times, there is no politician in Nigeria that is as courageous as Mr Peter Gregory Obi,” Yesufu said.
She argued that there was a difference between courage and taking unnecessary risks, adding that Obi had many other responsibilities to attend to.
“You need to understand something: there is a place where someone has to be strategic. You have a lot of things to do, so if you are fighting people who don’t have work, it doesn’t make any sense at that moment,” she added.
