PETER OBI SPARKS REACTIONS AFTER APPEARING AT SEYI MAKINDE’S APM CAMPAIGN OFFICE

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By: Fasasi Hammad

Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has stirred mixed reactions on social media after attending the inauguration of the Abuja campaign office of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde.

The inauguration, held on Monday in the Federal Capital Territory, was attended by Makinde’s supporters, Obi and other members of the APM.

Videos from the event circulating online showed Obi expressing support for Makinde and affirming that the Oyo State governor is qualified to contest for the presidency.

Explaining his presence at the event, Obi said he was there to promote cooperation among political leaders and encourage Nigerians to freely choose their preferred candidate in a credible election.

“You have a candidate who is contesting for President today. My dear brother, Seyi Makinde, is he qualified to be President? Yes. He’s qualified,” Obi said.

He stressed that whoever emerges victorious through a free, fair and credible election should receive the support of other political actors to enable them work together to address the country’s challenges.

“Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair, credible election, all of us want to work together to save this country from collapse. That is why I’m here, to show solidarity, to assure you that we are changing the people,” he said.

“We don’t want policies of quarrel, policies of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people,” Obi added.

The former governor also expressed his desire for a Nigeria where citizens can achieve their aspirations regardless of their background, social connections or status.

“We want Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody. That’s what we want,” he said.

Obi’s appearance at the campaign office inauguration, however, generated divided opinions online.

While some social media users commended him for prioritising national interest over personal political ambitions, others questioned why a presidential candidate would attend the campaign event of another contender seeking the same office.

One user, Omo_asunmogejo, criticised Obi’s decision, arguing that his involvement could create confusion among his supporters.

Deximal simply wrote: “Lol. Presidential candidate at the inauguration of another presidential candidate.”

Another user, Segun Benson, suggested that the development could be linked to a broader political arrangement, saying, “Something is cooking underneath. Well, once done, we will all see it, whether to eat it or trash it.”

Paul Bushman described Obi’s approach as “naive politics,” arguing that his appearance at another candidate’s event raised questions about ideological consistency.

Tripsoflife also questioned the development, suggesting that Obi’s political activities could eventually see him campaign for other presidential contenders.

However, some users defended the former governor, saying his appearance reflected a willingness to place the country’s interests above his personal ambition.

Odyssey wrote that Obi “only cares about Nigerians” and is “not desperate to be president,” urging Nigerians to support his stated goal of improving the country.

Similarly, Jeremial Olaposi described Obi’s political approach as “the more you look, the less you see style of politics.”