Ali Modu Sheriff: Northerners will not vote for Peter Obi in 2027

Former Ali Modu Sheriff has ruled out the chances of Peter Obi winning the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the former Labour Party presidential candidate would not secure the support of Northern voters.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, the APC chieftain also defended the performance of President Bola Tinubu on security, expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress would retain power in 2027, and argued that the presidency should remain in the South until 2031.

Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election with over six million votes, is expected to contest the 2027 presidency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

Sheriff, however, dismissed Obi’s prospects in Northern Nigeria.

“I am not worried about Peter Obi because I know Northerners will never vote for him.”

When reminded that Obi recorded significant votes in states such as Plateau and Nasarawa during the 2023 election, Sheriff insisted that the political landscape had changed.

He further alleged that Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State left many Northerners dissatisfied.

“The situation is different now. When Peter Obi was governor, he chased Northerners out of Anambra State,” Sheriff alleged.

The former governor also claimed that supporters of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had expressed opposition to any political alliance between their leader and Obi.

On security, Sheriff rejected Obi’s criticism of the Tinubu administration, arguing that insecurity predates the current government and should not be used as the sole basis for judging the President.

He cited the administration’s efforts to introduce state police as one of the reforms aimed at addressing the country’s security challenges.

Sheriff also dismissed the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar, saying the North should wait until 2031 before seeking the presidency again.

According to him, Nigeria’s political leaders reached an understanding after the civil war to rotate presidential power between the North and the South in the interest of national unity.

“For Atiku, this is not the North’s turn. He is a respected leader and eminently qualified, but he has to wait until 2031. President Buhari completed eight years in office, so it is now the South’s turn.”

Sheriff expressed confidence that Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027 but said the APC would continue to campaign vigorously rather than take victory for granted.

Join Very Nigerian WhatsApp Channel
For Verified Breaking News, Exclusive Reports, Trending Stories, And Real-time Updates.
CLICk HERE TO JOIN!