Tinubu Obi endorsed Atiku in 2007 and 2019, according to Kenneth Okonkwo, who says the past support strengthens Atiku’s 2027 bid
Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi previously endorsed Atiku for president, arguing on Thursday, September 10, 2026, that their past support strengthens the former vice-president’s case ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 election.
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Okonkwo made the claim during a press briefing while discussing the presidential ambitions of Atiku, Tinubu and Obi, who are now positioned on different sides of an increasingly competitive opposition landscape.
According to Okonkwo, Tinubu endorsed Atiku during the 2007 presidential election, while Obi supported Atiku during the 2019 presidential contest.
“Bola Tinubu endorsed Atiku to be president in 2007. Peter Obi endorsed Atiku to be president in 2019,” Okonkwo said.
He argued that the history of support distinguishes Atiku from the other two politicians, saying neither Tinubu nor Obi had received presidential endorsements from both of their rivals at different times.
“Two out of the three of them, Atiku is the only person that has been endorsed by the other two. So, if the other two believe that he is the best, what are you looking for?” he said.
Okonkwo added that the three politicians were familiar with one another politically but suggested that their past decisions offered voters an important perspective on the current contest.
“They know themselves, but they don’t know themselves more than you and I,” he said.
The argument comes as the 2027 presidential contest takes shape around three prominent political figures who have previously worked together or supported one another at different points in Nigeria’s political history.
Atiku, the former vice-president, is seeking the presidency under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
President Tinubu is expected to defend his mandate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, while Obi is pursuing his presidential ambition under the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
The political relationships cited by Okonkwo stretch back several election cycles.
In the 2007 presidential election, Atiku contested on the platform of the Action Congress, while Tinubu was a prominent leader within the same political camp. The election was won by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Obi’s political relationship with Atiku developed more recently. Obi served as Atiku’s running mate on the Peoples Democratic Party ticket in the 2019 presidential election, before leaving the party and becoming the Labour Party‘s presidential candidate in 2023.
Obi’s 2023 campaign subsequently emerged as a major force in Nigerian opposition politics, particularly among younger voters.
The history has become politically significant as opposition leaders debate how best to challenge Tinubu in 2027.
Atiku has remained a central figure in those discussions, but his continued presidential ambition has also generated resistance among politicians seeking a new opposition arrangement.
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is now the NDC vice-presidential candidate, recently called on Atiku to withdraw from the presidential race and support the NDC ticket.
Kwankwaso’s appeal highlights the central difficulty facing opposition politicians: agreeing on a single candidate capable of consolidating support against the governing APC.
Atiku’s campaign, meanwhile, continues to emphasise his experience and previous relationships with prominent political figures as part of its case for his candidacy.
Okonkwo’s latest argument seeks to turn that history into a political advantage, presenting past endorsements from Tinubu and Obi as evidence that Atiku has previously commanded the confidence of both men.
Whether that history resonates with voters in 2027 will depend on how the three politicians frame their changed political positions and how effectively their respective campaigns address Nigeria’s economic, security and governance challenges.
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For now, the remarks add another layer to an already intense debate over who should lead the opposition into the 2027 presidential contest.
