By Abigail David

Peter Obi has said he may not be alive to contest the 2027 presidential election, alleging that he and other opposition figures are being systematically frustrated by the current administration.

Obi made the remarks during an interview on With Chude, hosted by media personality Chude Jideonwo, a clip of which was shared on Wednesday.

Responding to a question about the possibility of contesting the 2027 election, the former presidential candidate said there was no certainty he would even be alive by then.

According to Obi, his activities have been repeatedly obstructed, alleging that the government is deliberately frustrating everything he does.

While clarifying that he was not making a direct accusation, Obi claimed he experiences constant challenges that he believes are politically motivated.

He further alleged that the treatment extends beyond him to other opposition figures, claiming they are being personally targeted and denied privileges they are entitled to.

The former Anambra State governor cited an incident at an airport where he claimed officials locked his vehicle while other cars parked in the same area were left untouched.

Obi also alleged that some acquaintances now avoid greeting him publicly for fear of being associated with him, while others have discouraged him from attending family events because of concerns over possible repercussions.

He did not provide evidence to support the allegations during the interview.

As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government had not responded to Obi’s claims.

By Abigail David

David Umahi has dismissed suggestions that Peter Obi poses a political threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking on Daybreak on Arise Television on Tuesday, the Minister of Works said neither President Tinubu nor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had any reason to fear Obi’s political influence.

Umahi described perceptions of Obi’s political strength as exaggerated, arguing that they were driven more by public hype than electoral reality.

“Even I cannot be scared of Peter Obi, not to talk about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or our party, the APC. Nobody is scared of Peter Obi. He is not a threat to our president,” he said.

The minister also criticised Obi’s record during his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, questioning his performance in infrastructure, industrial development and job creation. He argued that the former governor lacked the moral authority to call on President Tinubu to resign over the country’s current challenges.

Umahi further accused some members of the Obidient movement of intolerance towards opposing views, alleging that critics of Obi were often subjected to insults, threats and legal action.

Defending the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, the minister said the government inherited long-standing structural challenges that could not be resolved within three years. He maintained that ongoing reforms were beginning to yield positive results despite the economic hardship experienced by many Nigerians.

According to Umahi, the administration’s investments in infrastructure and other key sectors demonstrate progress, adding that economic recovery requires time.

He also expressed confidence that President Tinubu deserves a second term, insisting that no opposition presidential hopeful has presented a record comparable to that of the current administration.

By Abigail David

Political parties are making final efforts to upload the details of their candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal ahead of the July 11 deadline, with some reporting smooth progress while others continue to grapple with technical and internal challenges.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) said they were on course to complete the exercise within the stipulated timeframe.

The APC said its nomination process was progressing without difficulty, while the PDP and ADC expressed confidence that they would meet the deadline. ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had successfully uploaded its presidential and vice-presidential candidates and was completing uploads for National Assembly candidates.

Labour Party acknowledged initial technical issues with the INEC portal but said the problems had been resolved, attributing most of the glitches to discrepancies in candidates’ personal details.

However, the Because Of Our Tomorrow (BOOT) Party said it experienced difficulties accessing the portal after receiving its upload code, although it remained optimistic of meeting the deadline. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) also admitted it was still resolving internal issues related to the exercise.

INEC had earlier opened its Candidate Nomination Portal for the submission of Form EC9 and other required documents for presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates.

The APC recently submitted a revised list of candidates after reviewing petitions arising from its primaries, while the PDP dismissed reports of irregularities in its nomination process, insisting its exercise had remained transparent and free of legal or administrative challenges.