A prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain has argued that ethnic considerations unfairly overshadow Peter Obi’s presidential potential, claiming the former Labour Party candidate would be viewed as an unbeatable contender if he belonged to a different ethnic group.
Segun Showunmi, speaking during an interview with Channels TV, defended Obi’s post-2023 election activities while criticizing what he sees as opportunistic coalition talks aimed at exploiting the former Anambra governor’s political capital. “The fundamentals by which you build a movement to rescue a nation cannot be predominantly too selfish. All that talk they are talking about coalition is just that they are trying to take advantage of Peter Obi, and it is his business if he allows them to take advantage of him,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain highlighted Obi’s sustained political engagement since the 2023 presidential election. “After we lost the election in 2023, have you watched what he has done? Never mind that people criticize him, he’s been going to places. He’s been doing things on the ground, and he’s been doing all of the things that somebody that really wants to run would do,” Showunmi observed.
In a direct challenge to what he perceives as ethnic bias in Nigerian politics, Showunmi posed provocative questions about Obi’s treatment. “I ask you, if Peter Obi was a Hausa man or a Fulani man, would anybody be doubting the fact that he’s going to be a presidential candidate that can likely win? If Peter Obi was a Yoruba man, would anybody be doubting that he can likely win?” he questioned.
The chieftain emphasized Obi’s remarkable 2023 electoral performance as evidence of his political strength. “If somebody can pull 6 million votes all by himself with a rag-tag army of supporters and the Nigerian people, and you want to do a Nigerian movement, and we’re supposed to be discussing what again?” Showunmi asked, highlighting Obi’s ability to mobilize significant support independently.
Showunmi expressed skepticism about other potential coalition partners, specifically targeting former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. “Oh, I’m supposed to accept that Nasir El-Rufai, who was first of all a Christian of PDP, apart from God and his parent left to go and do APC, is going to be responsible for the problem of APC as well, and do they even have a platform?” he questioned.
The PDP chieftain noted inconsistencies in coalition partners’ party affiliations. “If you ask them in the morning, they say SDP, and tomorrow morning they say another thing,” Showunmi remarked, expressing frustration with what he sees as opportunistic party switching among potential allies.
Despite his defense of Obi, Showunmi reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP while calling for unity in addressing Nigeria’s challenges. “Look, I’m a PDP man, and I will truly hope that for our sakes that we understand that selfishness of it must be my way is not going to help the country,” he concluded, emphasizing the need for collaborative approaches to national problems.
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