Presidential adviser Daniel Bwala has said he fears opposition figure Peter Obi could secure more votes than former vice president Atiku Abubakar in Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election if current political trends continue.
Bwala, Special Adviser on Media and Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV on Friday while discussing the prospects of opposition candidates ahead of the next general election.
“I fear Peter Obi might get more votes than Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 election, and my other fear is that he might come a distant fourth,” Bwala said.
“If that happens, his legacy as a politician in his last attempt could be affected,” he added.
Bwala, who served as a spokesperson for Atiku’s 2023 presidential campaign before joining the Tinubu administration, said the political landscape had changed significantly since the last election.
“In the 2023 election, the PDP had several governors, senators, and Reps who supported him, but right now, there is not a single governor backing him,” he said.
He also questioned Atiku’s electoral strength in Nigeria’s North-West region.
“The fact remains that Atiku Abubakar has never historically commanded more votes from the North-West in his political career,” Bwala said.
His comments come as political actors begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with discussions intensifying over the prospects of leading opposition figures, including Obi and Atiku.
