Hon. Kasimu Maigari, a member of the ADC National Legislators’ Forum, has claimed that former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has set back the Igbo presidency ambition by two decades.
Maigari made the statement during an interview on ARISE News, where he reacted to the evolving political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, Obi’s political trajectory and the movement built around him have not strengthened the long-standing push for an Igbo presidency, but instead created setbacks in the broader regional aspiration.
“My worry is not if Peter Obi will win the presidency; my worry is that Peter Obi has pushed Igbo’s 20 years backwards from getting the Presidency,” Maigari said.
He further argued that many of Obi’s supporters and those aligned with other political figures, including Rabiu Kwankwaso, are motivated primarily by personal political ambitions rather than long-term ideological commitment.
“Peter Obi will not win the 2027 election; it is very obvious. The only people who follow Obi and Kwankwaso are those who think they will rise on their backs to get elected and then defect and leave them,” he said.
Maigari alleged that a significant number of those rallying around Obi are seeking political offices such as state assemblies, the House of Representatives, or governorship positions, and only leverage his popularity as a pathway to electoral success.
“99 per cent of those running around Peter Obi have the ambition of running either state of Assembly, House of Rep or governor and the only easiest way for them to win an election is when Peter Obi or Rabiu Kwakwanso is on the ballot,” he added.
He also claimed that if Obi were not on the ballot, many of his supporters would struggle to win elections independently.
“Anything short of that, they are not going to make it. and they have misled their principals, and unfortunately, the principals fall into their traps.”
On the position of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Maigari insisted that the party remains united and strategically positioned for future contests, including the 2027 elections.
He further suggested that Obi’s political influence could end up benefiting the ADC in certain regions, describing it as part of the party’s electoral advantage going forward.
“ADC remain intact, Peter Obi is going to serve as our agent in the places Tinubu thought he was going to make it, and this is our advantage as ADC.”
Maigari maintained that despite current political realignments, the ADC remains focused and intact as it prepares for upcoming elections.