2027 Election: How Atiku Sent Me to Persuade Peter Obi to Accept VP Slot — Babachir Lawal

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has revealed fresh details about the high-stakes political negotiations within Nigeria’s opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking during a recent interview on Diaspora Digital Media, Lawal disclosed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar personally requested his help to convince Peter Obi to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as his vice-presidential running mate.

According to Lawal, Atiku proposed a broad political arrangement under the ADC platform that included a single six-year presidential term and constitutional amendments to formalize power rotation starting with the Southeast.

The Heavy Rain Meeting

Lawal recalled how he took immediate action on Atiku’s request, braving severe weather conditions to present the proposal directly to Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate.

“Atiku called me and told me that he wanted to work with me. He gave me a mission to convince Peter Obi to accept the vice-presidential slot,” Lawal explained. “I went and met Peter. It was raining heavily that day, and Peter didn’t even want me to come because of the weather. I woke my driver and security up, and we drove through the rain. When I told Peter about the proposal, he said he didn’t like the idea very much.”

Lawal noted that despite the pitch, Obi remained uninterested in serving as a running mate, leading to a rift in the alignment strategy for the upcoming election cycle.

Shifting Coalitions and Differing Accounts

The relationship between the political figures has since taken a dynamic turn. Following disagreements over party primaries and internal candidate selection within the coalition, Lawal parted ways with the ADC and joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he now backs a joint presidential ticket featuring Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi has publicly addressed allegations surrounding the negotiations. Speaking in a separate interview on Arise TV, Obi stated that no formal offer was presented directly to him in a way that required a rejection. He emphasized that genuine opposition mergers should be built on structured party-level dialogues rather than informal negotiations between individual leaders.

As political actors consolidate alliances, the revelations highlight the ongoing maneuvering among opposition leaders seeking a unified front for the 2027 ballot.