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By Myke Agunwa
The chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulations, Bashir El-Rufai has expressed optimism that Peter Obi will floor President Bola Tinubu in 2027 if he picks a popular northerner as a running mate.
The junior El-Rufai, elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this in a post on his X handle on Thursday.
He also acknowledged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, is a force to be reckoned with in the 2027 general election.
The son of the erstwhile governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, added that the sheer force of Obi’s numbers and cult-like followership poses a serious challenge to the former Vice President.
Bashir suggested that the 2019 presidential election would have been Atiku’s best shot at the presidency.
He said: “Atiku is a force to be reckoned with. He also feels the stars have finally aligned in his favour. And although 2019 is thought to have been his best shot, this may be one of those ‘moment meets the man’. However, the sheer force of Obi’s numbers and cult-like followership brings a challenge. His appeal across the youth and this younger generation is one profound aspect of his leverage.
“Obi as a flag bearer with a strong northern candidate would defeat Pablo on Election Day before our dear mother of the nation, Aunty Remi finishes his breakfast around 12 noon.”
This view tallies with an earlier position of the pioneer National Secretary of PDP, Prof. Jerry Gana who earlier noted that Obi would defeat any northern candidate in the northern states if he runs on the PDP platform, claiming that the party is on ground in the north.
Gana who appeared as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Wednesday said, “I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate, because our people are very fair‑minded.”