Reno Omokri has thrown cold water on the idea of a joint 2027 presidential ticket between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, warning that such a pairing could prove politically disastrous potentially costing Atiku support even in his stronghold of Adamawa State.
Omokri, recently appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, made the remarks on Monday via his X (formerly Twitter) account, responding to comments by media entrepreneur Dele Momodu. Momodu had appeared on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme over the weekend, suggesting that an Atiku-Obi alliance could mount a serious challenge to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Omokri pushed back firmly. While expressing personal admiration for Atiku, he argued that the suggestion reveals a fundamental misreading of Northern political dynamics. In his view, religion and accumulated grievances carry significant weight in how Northern voters make their choices — and Peter Obi carries baggage that could prove toxic in that region.
Central to Omokri’s argument is the 2021 killing of former presidential aide Ahmed Gulak, a son of Adamawa State, who was shot dead by gunmen in Owerri, Imo State. Omokri alleged that Obi’s response to that incident generated lasting resentment in the state. He further pointed to the May 2022 killing of pregnant woman Harira Jubril and her children in Anambra State — a tragedy he attributed to suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network — and claimed Obi similarly declined to condemn it.
“Anyone tying themselves to Peter Obi is playing with fire,” Omokri wrote, adding: “Arewa has a long and deep memory. They do not easily forget insults, slights and offences.”
He also cautioned that symbolic gestures mosque visits, community donations are unlikely to paper over deep-seated grievances among Northern voters.
Omokri rounded out his remarks with a broader appeal, calling on Nigeria’s political leaders to be more attuned to the country’s complex ethnic, religious and cultural landscape. “Nigeria needs leaders who are sensitive to these differences,” he said.
Momodu has not yet responded publicly to Omokri’s rebuttal.
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