Former African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, has alleged that former President Goodluck Jonathan offered ex-Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the position of Coordinating Minister of the Economy if he would withdraw from the 2027 race and support him.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Kachikwu claimed that Northern political interests had recruited Jonathan into the presidential race to weaken the South. According to him, Obi was also told he could not secure Northern votes because he is Igbo.
“In order to weaken the South, they have now brought in former President Jonathan, who is alleged to be offering Peter Obi the position of Coordinating Minister of the Economy in exchange for his support,” he stated.
Kachikwu accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and certain Northern elites of holding political power for decades without doing anything to address illiteracy and poverty in the region. He alleged they exploit “the weapons of region, religion, tongue, tribe and poverty” to convince millions of poor Northerners that President Bola Tinubu and other southern leaders are their enemies.
“They are daily spreading deliberate falsehoods, not only against President Tinubu but against all potential southern presidential aspirants. Peter Obi has been told in very clear terms that he will never get Northern votes as an Igbo man, and that he should instead agree to be Atiku’s running mate,” he said.
Kachikwu urged Nigerians to resist Atiku and his allies, whom he accused of lacking commitment to a fair and equitable Nigeria. “We must come to equity with clean hands and sincerity of purpose. We don’t burn our houses just to kill rats and cockroaches; sometimes we simply need to clean our homes so that they leave on their own. My earnest prayer is that Nigeria will soon work for every one of us,” he added.
