“Goodluck Jonathan Offered Peter Obi Coordinating Minister Role to Drop Presidential Ambition” — Dumebi Kachikwu

Former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has alleged that former President Goodluck Jonathan offered Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, the position of Coordinating Minister of the Economy in exchange for withdrawing from the 2027 presidential race to support Jonathan’s bid. Kachikwu made this claim during a press conference in Abuja on Friday.

He further asserted that Northern political interests are behind drafting Jonathan into the race with the aim of weakening the South’s influence in the upcoming election. According to Kachikwu, Obi was also told he could not secure votes from the North because of his Igbo heritage. He stated that Obi was urged to accept a vice-presidential position as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate instead.

Kachikwu criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and some northern elites for holding power for decades without addressing widespread poverty and illiteracy in the region. He accused these elites of manipulating regional, religious, and ethnic sentiments to convince many poor Northerners that southern President Bola Tinubu is responsible for their hardships.

He condemned the spread of falsehoods against President Tinubu and southern presidential hopefuls, calling on Nigerians to reject Atiku and his allies, whom he accused of opposing a fair and equitable Nigeria. Kachikwu concluded by appealing for unity and sincerity among Nigerians, emphasizing the need to clean up the country rather than destroy it.