The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has declared that any proposed joint presidential ticket between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi would ultimately fail, particularly among Christians and South-East voters.
Keyamo made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he disclosed what he termed "insider expo" regarding alleged political maneuvers aimed at the 2027 general elections.
“I want to do small expo, but it’s an expo that will not help them either way. Do you know what they are working on? They want to bring Peter Obi and Atiku together,” Keyamo revealed.
According to the minister, Peter Obi’s Christian voter base, which played a major role in his 6 million votes during the 2023 elections, would weaken if he accepts a vice-presidential role under Atiku.
“Once you make Obi the deputy to Atiku, the Christian demography will pull out... The President also has a pastor as a wife. We will snatch some of those votes and increase ours,” Keyamo asserted.
He further argued that the South-East, which largely supported Obi in 2023, would withdraw its support if Atiku, a Northerner and two-time PDP flag bearer, leads the ticket.
“That South-East demography that supported him, once it’s Atiku, they will pull out. They will not support him,” he stated.
Keyamo concluded by suggesting that church leaders would struggle to justify backing an older Muslim candidate in 2027.
“The pastors cannot come out campaigning for an 80-year-old Muslim president. They will not do that. So they will lose that demography,” he added.
The remarks have sparked early debate about possible alliances ahead of 2027, particularly given Obi’s enduring popularity among youth and Christian voters and Atiku’s repeated bids for the presidency.
