Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has dismissed the viability of a potential alliance between Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, asserting that such a combination would fail demographically.

During an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Keyamo argued that the support base which propelled Obi during the 2023 elections no longer exists—especially in a scenario where he is not the presidential candidate.

“In terms of demography, they’re going nowhere,” Keyamo stated regarding the opposition's prospects. “I appreciate the competitive spirit they’re bringing—it keeps us on our toes—but their numbers don’t add up.”

He criticized the opposition’s reported plan, saying, “This so-called ADC strategy of uniting Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar to pool votes and challenge our over eight million votes won’t succeed. Here’s why: if Peter Obi is made Atiku’s running mate, the three key demographics that backed Obi in 2023 will fall apart.”

Elaborating on his point, Keyamo said, “In 2023, Obi gained support from three major groups. First, he was the only prominent Christian candidate among mostly Muslim contenders, which consolidated the Christian vote behind him. Second, the South-East felt marginalized and rallied behind him as an Igbo candidate. Third, young Nigerians—often referred to as the ‘Obidients’—who were dissatisfied and sought younger leadership, supported him because the other candidates were older.”

He maintained that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) remain firmly rooted in the northern region.

“If Obi is fielded as a presidential candidate this time, he won’t be able to gain traction in the north. We still hold strong ground there with our governors and political structures,” Keyamo concluded.