Peter Obi rejected an offer to become the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theo Abu Agada, has disclosed.
Agada made the disclosure while responding to allegations that he was working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and leaking sensitive information from the NDC to the ruling party.
The NDC chieftain dismissed the allegation as false and accused those making the claims of attempting to create division within the party ahead of the 2027 election.
His comments also provided another account of the disagreement that eventually separated Obi from the opposition coalition that initially brought him and Atiku together under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Atiku is now the presidential candidate of the ADC, while Obi is seeking the presidency on the platform of the NDC.
The two politicians had been part of efforts to build a broad opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 election.
Obi later left the arrangement and emerged as the NDC presidential candidate, while Atiku proceeded with the ADC and emerged as its candidate.
The issue surfaced after an X user, @Henryshield, accused Agada of allegedly passing information about Obi’s campaign to his supposed “paymasters” in the APC.
Shield also questioned the political decisions surrounding some supporters of Obi and alleged that some prominent supporters were denied tickets by the NDC.
He wrote: “Lastly and most importantly, Theo or whatever your name is, can you swear on your life that you haven’t been passing critical information about the PO campaign to your paymasters in the APC?
“I won’t talk about the reason your boss deliberately decided that Aisha Yusufu, Morris, Salako and other core PO supporters never got your party’s ticket. Those who are smart enough would know, but if you want, I’ll help you tell the world.”
Agada rejected the accusations and said he had no connection with the APC.
He challenged Shield to produce evidence to support the allegation that he had been passing information about Obi’s campaign to the ruling party.
Agada wrote: “Henry, I do not have any boss or bosses in the APC. I will not waste my time and energy debunking your baseless, unfounded and misleading allegations against me.
“No sensible person will believe your nonsensical lies. Only those who do not know you or what you represent will take you seriously.
“You have been commissioned by your paymasters in the APC and the ADC to cause confusion in the NDC, and I can tell you for a fact that your plans have failed. You have no iota of integrity. I am not like you, going about betraying people and blackmailing them.
“Finally, if you can produce any proof that I passed any information to anybody in the APC about PO’s campaign, I will not only deactivate my account this very minute, I will also resign my position.”
The NDC director then linked the dispute to Obi’s decision not to accept the vice-presidential position reportedly offered to him by Atiku.
He accused his critic of being unhappy with the former Anambra State governor’s decision to pursue the presidency under the NDC rather than serve as Atiku’s running mate.
Agada wrote: “Henry, don’t be silly. You are just a spoilt little brat throwing a tantrum because His Excellency, Peter Obi, refused to accept the vice-presidential nomination from Alhaji Atiku.
“I have a candidate to promote and deliver, unlike you, who can’t even campaign for your presidential candidate.”
Obi and Atiku had initially been associated with the opposition coalition that adopted the ADC as its political platform.
The arrangement was expected to bring together several major opposition figures and potentially produce a single presidential candidate.
That plan, however, eventually ran into disagreements over the leadership of the coalition, the choice of candidate and the process for selecting the presidential ticket.
Obi subsequently moved to the NDC and secured the party’s presidential ticket.
He later formed a joint ticket with former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who accepted the vice-presidential position.
Atiku, on the other hand, emerged as the ADC presidential candidate after the party’s primary election.
Former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and other aspirants had also been involved in the contest.
The development effectively produced separate opposition camps, with Atiku leading the ADC ticket and Obi leading the NDC ticket.
