FORMER Borno State Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ali Modu Sheriff, has dismissed the chances of Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the former Anambra State governor will not secure the support of Northern voters.
News Point Nigeria reports that Sheriff made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he also defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against criticisms over insecurity, dismissed the presidential ambitions of Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and expressed confidence that Tinubu would win re-election in 2027.
Speaking during the programme, Sheriff said he was not concerned about Obi’s presidential ambition despite the former Labour Party candidate’s impressive performance in the 2023 general election.
Obi, who polled more than six million votes to finish third in the 2023 presidential election as the candidate of the Labour Party, is seeking the presidency again in 2027 under the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, Sheriff maintained that Obi would not succeed because, according to him, the North would not vote for him.
“I am not worried about Peter Obi at all because I know that Northerners will never vote for Peter Obi,” Sheriff said.
When reminded during the interview that Obi secured substantial votes in states such as Nasarawa and Plateau in the 2023 presidential election, Sheriff dismissed the comparison, arguing that circumstances had changed.
He alleged that Obi, while serving as governor of Anambra State, drove Northerners out of the state.
“The situation is different now, you know why? Peter Obi when he was a governor chased all the Northerners out of Anambra State,” Sheriff alleged.
The former governor further claimed that some political stakeholders in Kano had conveyed a similar position to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“This is what Kano people are telling Kwankwaso now, that we always supported you and we will support you if you run for president but we will not support you to go with Peter Obi,” he added.
Sheriff also defended President Tinubu against Obi’s recent criticisms over the country’s worsening security situation.
Obi has repeatedly criticised the President over insecurity and has called on Tinubu to resign if he is unable to protect Nigerians.
Responding to the criticism, Sheriff argued that Obi was the least qualified person to demand the President’s resignation, insisting that Tinubu was making genuine efforts to address the country’s security challenges.
He cited the President’s support for the establishment of state police as evidence of his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity.
“We don’t just go and be condemning the president because there is insecurity in Nigeria,” he said, adding that the country’s security challenges did not begin under Tinubu’s administration.
The APC chieftain also ruled out the chances of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that the North would not support his ambition because it remains the South’s turn to produce Nigeria’s President.
According to Sheriff, Nigeria’s political leaders reached an understanding after the civil war to promote regional balance in the presidency.
“After the civil war our leaders have said that there will no longer be this situation in Nigeria, there is a regional agreement. For Atiku, it’s not our time now. He is on his own because it is the turn for the South. Buhari just finished 8 years.
“If Atiku wants to be president he can wait, he is a leader in Northern Nigeria, he is eminently qualified but it is not our time now, he has to wait till 2031. That is the time for the North, for now, it is time for the South.”
Sheriff expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure a second term in the 2027 presidential election, but stressed that the APC would not take victory for granted and would work hard ahead of the polls.