Peter Obi’s Exit From ADC Weakened His 2027 Chances — Fayose

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said Peter Obi’s exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) weakened the former Anambra State governor’s chances ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Fayose made the assertion during an interview on TVC News’ Politics Tonight on Tuesday while assessing the prospects of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, Obi and other opposition politicians would have been better positioned to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if they had remained united under the ADC.

“When they were all together in ADC, I would tell anybody that they will make an impact. The day Obi left ADC for NDC, that day Obi lost,” Fayose said.

The former governor, however, described Obi as “a fantastic Nigerian who has made his marks, who has shown that things can get better.”

Fayose warned that the continued division among opposition politicians would hurt their chances in the 2027 presidential election.

“But when opposition, when they don’t come together, they will continue to lose,” he said.

He also dismissed the possibility of the opposition reversing its political decisions at this stage, arguing that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already accredited the various candidates.

“It’s too late now,” Fayose said. “INEC has accredited everybody. Even if you say you are not doing again, you’re on your own.

“You have put your feet in the water. You can’t get out. You have gotten wet already.”

Speaking on President Bola Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 election, Fayose said the political climate in the South-West currently favoured the president.

He projected that Tinubu could secure about four million votes in the region, based on voting patterns recorded during the 2023 presidential election.

“In the West alone, Tinubu will get close to about four million votes,” Fayose said.

“When you look at the pattern of the last election, Tinubu will win this election close to about 65 per cent,” he added.

Fayose also reacted to allegations of vote-buying during the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, rejecting claims that electoral malpractice was perpetrated by only one political camp.

He said supporters of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party were all implicated in alleged vote-buying incidents during the election.

“It’s mere desperation. Mere desperation,” he said.

He added, “The two sides clearly, going by what we saw on the television on Saturday, police arrested the two sides sharing money. So don’t come and tell me they are saints both ways.”

The former governor described electoral malpractice as a systemic challenge requiring collective efforts from politicians and voters to address.

“We have a lot to put right,” he said. “It’s the system. It’s systemic. It is a problem that has to be addressed.”