The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is becoming increasingly unsettled by what he described as the rising political influence of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi as the 2027 elections draw closer.
Ameh made the remarks during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on The Micon Podcast. He claimed that the federal government is allegedly working behind the scenes to prevent Obi from contesting in the next presidential election. According to him, those efforts are supposedly based on confidential assessments—what he referred to as “data collection and private consultations”—which, he argued, consistently point to Obi as the most formidable challenger to the incumbent government.
He further accused presidential aide Bayo Onanuga of engaging in a sustained pattern of criticism against Obi on social media. Ameh described this as part of a coordinated attempt to weaken Obi’s standing with the public and reduce his political momentum.
“We don’t just speculate,” Ameh said. “We study trends, gather data, conduct engagements across the country, and the signals are clear. This government’s biggest concern is Peter Obi. Their actions show it. Look at the number of times Bayo Onanuga mentions Obi online—he is clearly preoccupied with him. They hardly discuss national issues without bringing up Peter Obi.”
Ameh insisted that the ruling party is not as concerned about other opposition figures, such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or former Minister Rotimi Amaechi. In his view, the administration’s alleged anxiety is primarily directed at Obi, whom he claims commands a unique and growing support base.
He also recounted historical examples to illustrate his point, noting that even during the Fourth Republic’s early years, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attempted unsuccessfully to unseat Tinubu in Lagos, they failed despite deploying significant political power. Ameh argued that Peter Obi’s performance in the 2023 elections—particularly his strong showing in Lagos and his victory in the Federal Capital Territory—is evidence of the Labour Party candidate’s ability to challenge entrenched political structures.
Ameh concluded that the fear within the ruling party stems from Obi’s unexpected electoral strength, which brought in over a million votes in Lagos before official figures were reduced, and his unprecedented win in Abuja, the nation’s seat of power. According to him, these developments continue to unsettle the APC as the 2027 race approaches.
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