Turkur Mohammed-Baba, national publicity secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), says he would be surprised if Peter Obi secures as many votes as he did in the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Monday, Mohammed-Baba argued that the former Anambra governor’s political influence has diminished since the last election.
The ACF spokesperson said Nigerian politics has become overly focused on personalities rather than policies and programmes that directly address the needs of citizens.
“I think what has happened since then has vitiated the support,” he said.
“I would be very surprised if he performs as much as he did in 2023.”
Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election, recorded strong performances in several states and significantly altered Nigeria’s political landscape by attracting large numbers of young voters.
However, Mohammed-Baba questioned the former governor’s political consistency, noting that he had moved across different political platforms in recent years.
“In the last year or so, he has moved to about two or three parties,” he said.
“So the question we ask is, what does he want?”
POLITICIANS ARE PLACING PERSONAL INTEREST OVER PUBLIC INTEREST
The ACF spokesman also criticised politicians for placing personal ambition above public service.
“There is nothing wrong with ambition. In politics, there is everything wrong with personal ambition because politics is for service to the people,” he said.
“Once you are not there to serve the people, then your ambition remains what it is — personal.”
According to him, many Nigerians are more concerned about economic hardship and insecurity than political realignments ahead of the 2027 election.
“The typical person on the street will tell you that there is nothing. They are on their own,” he said.
“It is only God that will help them.”
The ACF spokesman also expressed doubts about the ability of former Kano governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to replicate his 2023 electoral performance in Kano state.
He argued that political leaders seeking national support must go beyond rhetoric and present practical solutions to the country’s challenges.
