Former Kogi West Senatorial District lawmaker, Dino Melaye, has explained why he believes the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, cannot become Nigeria’s president.
Melaye stated this during an appearance on the KAA Truths podcast on Thursday, where he discussed the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former lawmaker described Obi as a “regional champion”, arguing that a politician perceived primarily through a regional political identity would struggle to secure the presidency in Nigeria.
Melaye contrasted Obi with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as a nationalist.
“Atiku is a nationalist. Obi is a regional champion. It may sound awkward. It may sound offensive but Obi is a good man and he’s my friend. I have respect for him but he’s a regional champion and no regional champion in this country will ever be president,” he said.
He acknowledged that his assessment could be viewed as controversial but maintained that it reflected his understanding of Nigeria’s political dynamics.
Obi emerged as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 general election after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he had previously served as a presidential running mate.
His 2023 campaign, which was largely driven by the “Obidient” movement, attracted significant support among young Nigerians and voters in several parts of the country.
Obi finished third in the 2023 presidential election, securing 6,101,533 votes, according to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the election with 8,794,726 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the PDP came second with 6,984,520 votes.
Ahead of the 2027 election, Obi has moved from the Labour Party to the NDC, joining the opposition coalition seeking to challenge the ruling APC.
The development has reshaped the opposition landscape, with several prominent political figures aligning with different platforms as parties prepare for the next presidential election.
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