“He Is Qualified” — Obi Backs Makinde for President at Abuja Campaign Launch

The NDC’s 2027 candidate called on rival aspirants to unite around whoever wins a free and fair election, as he backed the Oyo State governor’s presidential ambition.

Former Anambra governor and NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi has endorsed Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s bid for the presidency, describing him as “qualified” to lead Nigeria.

Obi made the declaration on Monday at the commissioning of the Allied Peoples Movement’s (APM) presidential campaign office in Abuja, where Makinde was formally unveiling his campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general election.

“You have a candidate who is contesting for president today, my dear brother Makinde. Is he qualified to be president? Yes,” Obi told the gathering.

Obi, who is himself seeking the presidency on the NDC platform, used the event to call for opposition unity rather than division among candidates challenging the ruling party. “Our people are hungry. Our people are poor,” he said, pointing to economic hardship as the reason politicians should prioritise the country’s interest over personal ambition.

He added that whoever emerges from “a free, fair, credible election,” all sides should be prepared “to work together to save this country from collapse.”

Makinde, who is serving as Oyo State governor and has been positioning himself as a national figure ahead of 2027, did not immediately respond publicly to Obi’s remarks at the event.

The endorsement is notable because Obi and Makinde belong to different parties and, in a straightforward reading of the 2027 race, would ordinarily be rivals rather than allies. Political analysts say the gesture points to informal talks among opposition figures about coordinating strategy against the ruling party rather than splitting the anti-incumbent vote, though no formal coalition has been announced.

For Oyo State, the endorsement adds national weight to a governor whose profile has been rising steadily since his re-election, and it is likely to be closely watched by APM structures across the South-West as the party builds out its 2027 campaign machinery.

Neither the APM nor Obi’s camp has indicated whether Monday’s appearance signals a firmer alliance ahead of next year’s primaries. JDN Newsroom will continue to monitor developments in the build-up to the 2027 election.