President Tinubu questions Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar’s leadership records, citing erosion control and political defections ahead of the 2027 election
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has questioned the leadership records of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, criticising their handling of political challenges and party affiliations during a visit to Akwa Ibom State on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The President made the remarks while inaugurating projects executed by Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno’s administration and addressing supporters at a political gathering.
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Although Tinubu did not mention Obi and Atiku by name, his comments appeared directed at the two opposition figures, who have emerged as prominent players in the political realignments ahead of the next presidential election.
Tinubu first questioned Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, using the persistent challenge of gully erosion in the South-East state to contrast his own experience governing Lagos.
The President recalled his administration’s efforts to address the threat posed by the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos, arguing that Obi had failed to demonstrate similar leadership in tackling erosion during his time in office.
“One, who said he is in one party they call NDC, who is running for president. He ran away from erosion. In Anambra State, he could not confront erosion,” Tinubu said.
He continued by comparing the issue with his own experience and praising Governor Eno’s approach to addressing erosion challenges in Akwa Ibom.
“I, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I confronted the Atlantic Ocean. I claim it for you. Umo Eno confronted the erosion in Akwa Ibom and is working for, he is stable,” the President added.
Tinubu also turned his attention to Atiku, questioning his political loyalty and decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The President suggested that Atiku’s movement between political parties raised questions about his consistency and suitability for national leadership.
“If a man that was, once upon a time, was a baby of PDP, became a father of PDP. And because of a little inconvenience, he ran away from that party. And formed a dangerous ADC in another party. Is that a leadership trait? Is that a leadership character? And he wants you to vote for him?” Tinubu asked.
His remarks come amid growing political realignments among opposition figures seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Obi governed Anambra State between 2006 and 2014, having served two terms as governor. He contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, finishing third behind Atiku and Tinubu.
However, his political affiliation has since changed. Obi formally joined the ADC in December 2025 before leaving the party alongside former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso in May 2026 to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Obi attributed his departure to internal disagreements and persistent challenges within the ADC, saying he wanted a political platform capable of pursuing his ambition for national leadership.
Atiku, who served as Nigeria’s Vice-President between 1999 and 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also left the PDP in July 2025 before formally registering with the ADC in November of the same year.
He had contested the 2023 presidential election on the PDP platform, finishing second behind Tinubu.
The ADC subsequently adopted Atiku as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election, although a Federal High Court ruling on November 5, 2026, nullified his nomination alongside the party’s leadership structure. The party rejected the judgment and announced plans to challenge it.
Tinubu’s latest criticism of Obi also revives a campaign promise he made during the 2023 presidential election.
At an APC campaign rally in Awka, Anambra State, in February 2023, the then-presidential candidate pledged to tackle the state’s persistent gully erosion problem, comparing the proposed intervention with his administration’s efforts to address coastal challenges in Lagos.
“I have come here to promise you development. We will industrialise Nigeria and Anambra State. You know me, I am the city boy of Lagos; I caged the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos; the way I handled the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos, I will handle the erosion menace in Anambra State,” he declared at the time.
The promise formed part of his broader campaign message on industrialisation, infrastructure development and job creation.
Tinubu’s latest comments therefore bring the longstanding Anambra erosion challenge back into the political debate, particularly as opposition leaders seek to make governance records and public accountability central issues ahead of the next presidential election.
With political parties repositioning and opposition alliances facing internal disagreements and legal challenges, the President’s remarks signal an increasingly confrontational phase in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
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The exchange also places renewed attention on the records of the major political figures seeking to lead Nigeria, with their past decisions, administrative achievements and political consistency likely to feature prominently in the coming campaign.
