Presidential aspirant of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi has dismissed claims that he is avoiding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar amid recent political developments.
Speaking on Friday during the Spier Dialogue 2026 in Cape Town, Obi described Atiku as a respected leader and older brother, insisting there was no conflict between them.
“Not many people are as close to Atiku as I am, so I can’t be running from him. This man is my highly respected leader and older brother,” Obi said.
“I don’t run from him. Never. It doesn’t involve escaping from anyone. I’ve never run from anybody. I just think I go about things in a different way,” he added.
Obi’s remarks come amid speculation over tensions in his political relationship with Atiku following recent coalition realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.
Both politicians had earlier adopted the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as a coalition platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Obi officially joined the ADC on January 1, 2026, before later defecting to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
