The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has dismissed the political prospects of former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the next general election.
Speaking on Obi’s performance in the 2023 polls and his future ambitions, Bwala argued that the former governor would not command anything close to the level of support he enjoyed during the last election cycle.
“Peter Obi will not get one quarter of the vote he got. He rode on an opportunity that presented itself in 2023,” Bwala said.
He further accused Obi of being more of a political “actor” than a consistent leader, likening his political journey to fictional storytelling.
“Of all political gladiators in Nigeria, the one who is an actor is Peter Obi. I will tell you why. They told us in movies it is make-believe; it is not a reality,” he stated.
Bwala also questioned Obi’s influence after the elections, claiming that the former Labour Party flagbearer failed to consolidate political power despite the enthusiasm that surrounded his campaign.
“After the election, he lost everybody he was leading. He had House of Representatives members and senators; how many are they today in the National Assembly?” he asked.
According to Bwala, Obi’s electoral outings across the country also did not translate into widespread victories.
“All the elections he had gone across Nigeria, all of them failed,” he claimed.
The presidential aide also criticised Obi’s supporters on social media, accusing them of double standards over party defections.
“All the armies he has on social media attack people. They say you’re a two-faced man, you change party. But when their master is changing party like a player in the Premier League changing clubs every season, nobody talks,” Bwala said.
He listed Obi’s political journey from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), back to the PDP, and eventually to the Labour Party as evidence of inconsistency.
“He started with PDP, then APGA. From APGA to PDP, then he went to Labour,” he added.
Bwala further cast doubt on Obi’s place in any emerging political coalition, insisting that the former governor has no viable future there.
“The coalition he is subscribing to, he has no future there. Do you know why? He will not be the presidential candidate there, he will not be the vice-presidential candidate,” he said.
He concluded by hinting at a prediction regarding Obi’s next political move, suggesting that the former governor may once again seek the presidency under a different platform.
“And if you want a prediction, I will tell you that Peter Obi will run on…” Bwala said, trailing off without disclosing further details.
Peter Obi, who ran on the platform of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, finished third behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
