Dele Momodu claims Peter Obi rejected advice to work with Atiku Abubakar, saying he is more popular than the former vice president
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has revealed that former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi declined a request to work with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2023 general election.
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Momodu made the disclosure in an interview, where he recounted a private conversation in which he urged Obi to consider a political alliance with Atiku for strategic reasons.
According to him, he used examples of past political alliances in Africa and the United States to persuade Obi on the benefits of collaboration between strong opposition figures.
He referenced how former Ghanaian President John Mahama benefited from serving as vice president before becoming president, as well as how former U.S. President Joe Biden returned to the presidency after years of political experience.
Momodu said Obi, however, rejected the suggestion and insisted that he was more popular than Atiku.
“You have only been a governor of a state but Peter told me that he’s more popular than Atiku,” Momodu claimed.
Obi, who previously served as governor of Anambra State, was Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before leaving to contest independently in 2023.
In the 2023 presidential election, Obi ran under the Labour Party and finished third behind Atiku and President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Momodu maintained that the conversation reflected Obi’s confidence in his independent political strength and national appeal.
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The remarks add another layer to ongoing debates around opposition unity and realignment ahead of future elections in Nigeria.
