‘Obi’s 6m Votes Will Vanish If He Joins Atiku’, Says Tinubu’s Minister

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed ongoing talks of a possible alliance between opposition leaders former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, describing it as a “dead on arrival” project that lacked electoral viability.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’, Keyamo claimed that merging Peter Obi and Atiku’s political bases would not pose a threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing demographic and ideological divisions that would collapse under such a coalition.

“I will tell you something , this so-called ADC they are forming, whoever they bring… I want to give you small expo. What they are working on is to bring Peter Obi and Atiku together and join those numbers to beat our 8.4 million votes,” he said.

However, the Minister said the tactic was bound to fail due to deep demographic fractures that defined Obi’s 2023 support base.

“There were three demographics that delivered Peter Obi’s 6 million votes in 2023. First, the Christian demographics, they supported him because he was the only Christian candidate. If he becomes deputy to Atiku, they will pull out. Second, the South-East felt cheated, so they supported Obi. This group will also pull out. Third, the young generation, they wanted change and a younger person. Peter Obi represented that. If he becomes Atiku’s deputy, it all collapses,” Keyamo argued.

When the show host countered that the Christian demographics may not shift support to the APC, Keyamo replied, “No problem. But don’t forget that the President has a wife who is a pastor, so some of that Christian demographics will be slashed to increase our votes.”

He also claimed that the South-East would not be enthusiastic about voting for “an 80-year-old Muslim candidate,” indirectly referring to Atiku.

On the possibility of flipping the ticket, with Obi as presidential candidate and Atiku as deputy, Keyamo laughed it off, saying: “Atiku cannot even be vice president again; he has done two terms as VP. And if you put Peter Obi as a candidate, he cannot penetrate the North. We have the structures there, governors, Senators, we have all these structures.”

Defending the APC’s chances in the North concerning the 2027 elections, Keyamo dismissed claims that the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s famed “12 million vote bank” in the North has crumbled, “Seun, I will show you people who are saying they will follow APC,” he retorted after the host reminded him of growing discontent against the ruling APC in the North.

In a boastful tone, the former APC presidential campaign spokesperson touted his history of political predictions, “Do not forget I have been a spokesman to two presidents and I know the demography very well. Go and play my tapes. I told you exactly what was going to happen in 2019, in 2023. You can call me Nostradamus.”

While admitting the APC must work hard, Keyamo welcomed the challenge from the opposition.

“We are going to work hard. This is not a game of chest-beating. We like what is happening, they are putting us on our toes,” the Minister stated.