BY SOLOMON OKPO
A prominent broadcaster with Arise Television, Rufai Oseni, has raised concerns over what he described as a coordinated political effort to prevent Peter Obi from contesting in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a recent edition of The Morning Show, Oseni claimed that internal political calculations across major parties have identified Obi as the most formidable challenger to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prompting alleged moves to keep him off the ballot.
According to the broadcaster, emerging tensions within the political space are not coincidental but reflect deeper strategies aimed at sidelining the former Anambra State governor. He argued that several political blocs have concluded that Obi poses the strongest electoral threat, making his exclusion a central objective.
Oseni further warned that the newly formed Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which Obi recently joined, could face a wave of legal challenges and internal disruptions designed to weaken its footing ahead of the polls.
“I think it’s going to be the beginning of more troubles for the NDC because litigations will begin, particularly around its registration,” he said, pointing to what he described as early signs of institutional resistance.
He also linked recent instability within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to efforts to block Obi from using the platform for his political ambitions, suggesting the crisis was strategically motivated.
The journalist maintained that political elites remain uneasy about Obi’s growing popularity and are allegedly exploring legal and structural means to disqualify either him or his platform before the electoral process gains momentum.
“The idea is simple, ensure Obi does not get on the ballot,” Oseni stated, adding that his conclusions were drawn from consultations with political analysts and data-driven electoral mapping.
In a related development, Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso recently formalized their membership of the NDC. They were received at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja by party leaders, including Seriake Dickson.
Observers say the unfolding developments signal an increasingly complex and potentially contentious build-up to the 2027 elections, with legal battles and political realignments expected to shape the contest in the months ahead.
