Ex-Governor Babangida Aliyu has advised Labour Party’s presidential flag bearer Peter Obi to wait for his turn to be president in 2027 or 2031. Mr Aliyu, a former Niger governor, does not think Nigerians are ready for a president in the mould of Mr Obi.

In an interview with Channels TV, Mr Aliyu described Mr Obi as “a very excellent person” whose entry into the presidential race is “too early.”

“Peter Obi is my good friend. His candidature, in terms of the presidency – I think he will make some name now. But he may be able to make it only in 2027, 2031. But 2023? Too early,” Mr Aliyu said. “Even though the young people might go for him, the name is not dropping everywhere else. I doubt if Nigerians are ready for him now as a presidential person.” 

Ejike Mbaka, a fiery Catholic father and spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry, had last week cast aspersion on Mr Obi, calling him stingy and unfit to be Nigeria’s next president. 

“If Igbo people are looking for a representative in Nigeria, they are not the kind of person Peter Obi is. Whoever refuses to donate to the church should be the president?” Mr Mbaka pointed out. “It is better to have a president who is a gifted old man than a young man with ‘gum’ hands. Do you want people to starve? If he becomes president, he will close our ministry.” 

In May, Mr Obi left the Peoples Democratic Party, having realised that he would not clinch the party’s presidential ticket. He defected to the Labour Party and was made the party’s presidential flag bearer.

Mr Obi is popular with many Nigerian youths on social media platforms, particularly the microblogging site Twitter.

Lately, the former Anambra governor has been tearing at the political leaders in Nigeria, regarding many of them as lunatics who have turned the country into a massive asylum.

“We can’t allow this gangsterism to continue. Nigerians should take back their country. Seventy per cent of those who are in politics today should not have any reason to be there. I have said it, politics in Nigeria is a case where lunatics have taken over the asylum,” said Mr Obi.

He stated this on Sunday at a conference organised by the Revival House of International Church (RHOGIC), Abuja.

The LP presidential candidate is in alliance talks with the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

Specifically, NNPP’s presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso disclosed that his party and LP were in talks to ally ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.

“We are really talking to Peter Obi, or at least saying that the committee is working to look into the matter (and cooperate with him), and friends and family are coming to talk to us about it,” the former Kano governor stated.