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By Oscar Okhifo
Prof. Pat Utomi has drawn a red line ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that his support for former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, would end if Obi agrees to run as a vice-presidential candidate.
Utomi made the remark on Politics Today, monitored by Pointblank news on Thursday.
The theme majored on Nigeria’s political future, as discussions intensify over possible opposition coalitions and power-sharing arrangements ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said Obi has come to embody a credible alternative to Nigeria’s old political order and warned that accepting a vice-presidential role would undermine the reformist expectations many Nigerians, particularly young voters, who are associated with his political movement.
“I have made my position clear: if Peter Obi runs as vice president in 2027, I will walk away,” Utomi said.
“Nigeria needs bold leadership, not political compromises that weaken the promise of real change.”
Utomi’s fears are anchored on growing concerns that have intensified since Obi’s recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has continued to generate mixed reactions within political circles.
Presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, recently mocked Obi’s defection, describing the former Anambra governor as a “wandering politician,” while Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, claimed he was aware that Obi’s ultimate political destination was a vice-presidential slot alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Over time, some of Obi’s supporters have also expressed similar concerns, warning that such a decision could erode his organic support base.
Several supporters have threatened to withdraw their backing should Obi settle for a vice-presidential position in 2027.
Beyond personal ambition, there are also broader sentiments within the polity about power rotation, with critics arguing that the presidency returning to the North so soon could provoke renewed ethnic and regional debates.
Analysts warn that an Atiku–Obi ticket, if announced, could reopen ethnic fault lines and intensify political polarization.
However, Obi has not publicly stated at least for now that he intends to run as a vice-presidential candidate to anyone, maintaining silence amid the growing speculation surrounding his next political move.
As opposition consultations continue behind the scenes, observers say it remains to be seen whether Obi will risk his core support base for a coalition arrangement.
For many Nigerians, it is only a matter of time before the true direction of the political currents becomes clear.