Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A prominent northern youth leader has delivered a blunt dismissal of Peter Obi's presidential ambitions, declaring that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate should not expect any support from the 19 northern states ahead of the 2027 general election. The President of the Arewa Youths, in an interview with News Century Television on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, told Obi to "count northern Nigeria out of his campaign zone," insisting that "no single state in northern Nigeria will vote for Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election".
The youth leader, whose comments have since gone viral on social media, argued that the North would instead back a candidate who supported President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and demonstrated a commitment to northern interests. He further claimed that the NDC presidential candidate neither consulted nor reached any agreement with the group before indicating his interest in the 2027 race. "Peter Obi did not consult us before coming out to contest for president in 2027. We have no agreement with him, and we are not going to support him," he said.
In a hardline stance, the Arewa Youth President warned that any state coordinator who supports Obi against the group's position would be removed. "Any single state that votes for Peter Obi, we are going to sack and replace the state coordinator," he declared. His comments echo earlier statements made in May 2026, when the same group's leader had described Obi's proposed one-term presidency as "a scam" and declared that "Obi is not part of our plans," describing his presidential ambition as "a no-go area".
The rejection adds to growing resistance against the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket in northern Nigeria. The Arewa Youth Consultative Council had previously cited distrust over Obi's alleged sympathy for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), while the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asserted that Obi's single-term promise would be unfair to the electorate if he emerges winner in 2027. The Northern Youth Assembly has also challenged Obi to clearly state his position on IPOB ahead of the election.
Despite the northern resistance, Obi has maintained that he understands the region's problems and has pledged to transform northern Nigeria if elected. His running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, has dismissed claims that the North would not support the NDC ticket, insisting that Obi enjoys strong support across the region. However, the Arewa Youth President's latest salvo suggests that the opposition the ticket faces in the North remains formidable, with less than a year to the election.
The rejection also comes amid a broader realignment of northern political forces ahead of the 2027 polls. While some northern groups have threatened to withdraw support for President Bola Tinubu over concerns about appointments and political opportunities, others have expressed confidence that the President will secure no fewer than 25 million votes from Northern Nigeria. The Arewa Youth President's declaration, however, signals that the battle for the region's votes will be fiercely contested, and that Peter Obi's path to victory in the North remains uncertain.
As the 2027 election campaign season officially begins on August 19, 2026, Obi and the NDC face the challenge of overcoming deep-seated resistance in the North, where his critics have questioned his commitment to the region's interests. The Arewa Youth President's blunt warning serves as a stark reminder that for Obi to have any chance of victory, he must find a way to win over a region that has so far shown little enthusiasm for his candidacy.
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