2027: APC taunts Atiku, Obi, says both united by mutual desperation

By Jude Opara, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the recent visit of the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi to his counterpart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, describing it as a gathering of people united by mutual desperation.

In a statement on Tuesday, the  National Publicly Secretary (NPS) of the APC, Barr. Felix Morka said the ruling party is not perturbed by the alleged plot of the two presidential candidates to team up ahead of the 2027 elections.

“A recent visit by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, to his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has fueled speculations of a possible alliance between both men or merger of their political parties in the lead up to 2027.

“What is unclear, however, is whether Obi would make a comeback to Atiku’s PDP or whether Atiku would dump his PDP and seek rehabilitation in Obi’s Labour Party or whether both men would abandon PDP and Labour, altogether, and sojourn into the political wilderness of Professor Pat Utomi’s mega party”.

However, Morka said the APC will not be surprised if Obi decides to return to the PDP because he is reputed to have the penchant to jump from one party to another.

According to him, the only person that could be at him is Atiku himself whom he described as a political wayfarer.

“News of Peter Obi’s return to the PDP would be hardly surprising. His reputation as a political wayfarer is only dwarfed by Atiku’s track record as a veteran political wanderer. News of Atiku joining the Labour party will shock no one as he will be living up to his well established reputation as the country’s most itinerant politician.  For now, Utomi’s mega party remains a figment with no offering of tangible accommodation for both men.

“Atiku and Obi are united by their mutual desperation to be President of Nigeria and ignoble disdain for President Bola Tinubu’s focused and extraordinary commitment to the transformation of our nation.  Their restless drift in search of convenient party platforms to execute their presidential run only belie the self-indulgent and opportunistic essence of their aspirations. Men without the staying power to build or fix their own parties, who flee at the slightest flicker of internal crisis cannot possibly be trusted by Nigerians to tackle serious and complex national political and economic challenges that confront our nation”.

He described President Bola Tinubu as a visionary leader who has the tenacity and vision to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians. He said his bold economic policies will surely guarantee his reelection in 2027.

“President Bola Tinubu embodies character, vision, tenacity and doggedness required to deliver a resurgent Nigeria of stable growth and development. The administration’s bold economic policy reforms and massive infrastructural uptake have already shattered historic barriers to growth, and paved the way for steady progress and development.

“We urge Nigerians to stand fast in their invaluable support of our great Party and President Bola Tinubu’s determined commitment to deliver a stronger, secure and more prosperous country for us all”, the statement concluded..