Convener of the Alternative Movement, Segun Sowunmi, has described Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (ND), as a “master of empty campaign”, questioning the substance of some of the policies being canvassed by the opposition politician.
Sowunmi made the remarks while discussing the 2027 presidential race on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, where he was asked whether the performance of the President Bola Tinubu administration had strengthened the campaigns of Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
He said Obi’s political appeal was largely connected to calls for equity for the South-East, which, he noted, had not produced a president in the current republic.
“For all of this filibustering, jumping here, jumping there, the greatest thing you can bring to the table emotionally is the need for us to do equity for the South-East, because they have not been president, at least in this republic,” Sowunmi said.
He, however, questioned the basis of some of Obi’s claims about governance and his record as governor of Anambra State.
Sowunmi also referred to the ongoing debate over the state’s financial obligations under successive administrations, saying claims by Obi that his administration did not leave debts had been challenged by his successors.
“All his successors from time have been saying that’s not the true position of thing, because we don’t want to get into a brickbat argument with him. That does not mean the things he’s saying are totally correct,” he said.
The politician then turned his criticism to what he described as a lack of detail in Obi’s campaign proposals.
“In any case, what is he campaigning on? Peter is a master of campaigning on a prose that he doesn’t even know how to construct,” Sowunmi said.
He cited Obi’s emphasis on moving Nigeria from consumption to production, arguing that the proposal needed clearer details on implementation, funding and timelines.
“When you try to listen deep, okay, what does he mean?” he asked, before questioning how the proposal would translate into practical agricultural production.
Sowunmi also challenged Obi’s argument about the agricultural potential of Niger State, asking how a government would provide incentives and persuade people to farm on the scale envisaged.
“By what magic is he going to force them to the farm? By what magic is he going to ensure? By what magic is he going to do the incentive? What is the cost component of what he’s trying to do? What is the time frame by which he will implement it?” he asked.
He further argued that presidential promises must take into account the constitutional and institutional processes involved in governance, including the National Assembly and the civil service.
“He will not consider that he’s going to have a National Assembly that has to pass the budget. He will not consider the bureaucracy,” Sowunmi said.
Sowunmi’s comments come as Obi, Atiku and other opposition figures continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Sowunmi has previously offered varying assessments of Obi’s political prospects and has more recently publicly backed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
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