Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential contender, needs to change his political strategy if he wants to win the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC) primaries, according to former presidential adviser Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.
Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise Television on Thursday, Baba-Ahmed evaluated Obi’s prospects within the opposition coalition and contrasted them with those of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
He claims that because of his extensive background in party politics and in-depth knowledge of internal democratic procedures, Atiku currently has a distinct advantage in a convention-based primary system.
According to Baba-Ahmed, “Vice President Atiku is far superior to all other candidates in terms of emerging through convention.”
“He accomplishes this through experience, greater reach, improved structures, and more devoted individuals. Additionally, he is more knowledgeable than others about the workings of internal democratic politics.
Although Obi is still a powerful political figure, Baba-Ahmed suggested that his current approach might not be adequate in a competitive coalition setting where seasoned political players predominate.
He stated, “I believe Governor Peter Obi’s people and himself are not helping his case.”
He described Obi as extremely visible and politically active across the country, acknowledging his great grassroots appeal and public involvement.
He is, in my opinion, the politician who has traveled the most in recent memory, which is advantageous for him. He makes an effort to maintain contact with the grassroots, which is beneficial to him, according to Baba-Ahmed.
He did, however, issue a warning, saying that Obi needs to acknowledge the shifting nature of the contest and the quality of the politicians he is now facing within the ADC alliance.
He stated, “He needs to sit down with his people and come to terms with the fact that he is now running against hardline politicians who also have eyes on the same thing.”
Baba-Ahmed also suggested that Obi follow Atiku’s strategy for handling party strife and supporters, particularly with regard to averting conflicts in public.
He added, “Peter Obi should do twice as much as Vice President Atiku did in telling his people to calm down, we don’t want to be trading insults with each other.”
