Peter Obi cannot be President now – Yul Edochie

Nollywood actor and politician, Yul Edochie, has declared that former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, cannot become President of Nigeria at this time.

Edochie made the claim in a post shared on his official X handle on Tuesday, where he dismissed Obi’s political strength and recent engagements with opposition coalition efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, Obi’s reported involvement with the African Democratic Congress is already “dead on arrival” and a “total waste of time.”

He wrote, “Any political party Peter Obi joins will scatter. Whatever he’s doing with ADC is dead on arrival. A total waste of time. It’s not a physical problem. It’s deeper than that.

” I’m surprised he doesn’t know this already. Or maybe he knows but chooses to ignore it. But the truth remains the truth. Peter Obi cannot be President of Nigeria now.”

Edochie, who is a known supporter of President Bola Tinubu, further suggested that Obi’s political influence is misunderstood and that his presence in any coalition effort weakens rather than strengthens such platforms.

The actor, who contested the 2017 Anambra governorship election under the Democratic Peoples Congress, has in recent years become increasingly vocal on national political issues, often taking strong positions on opposition figures and national discourse.

Obi, who served as Governor of Anambra State, was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, where he emerged as a major third-force contender with significant youth and urban support.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, he has been linked with ongoing consultations involving opposition figures and coalition discussions, including engagement with the African Democratic Congress.

He recently joined other political actors in presenting the ADC as a potential coalition platform aimed at unseating President Tinubu, with calls for unity among opposition forces.

At a public engagement in Enugu, Obi reportedly described the coalition effort as a movement to “rescue Nigeria from poverty, disunity and democratic decline.”

Despite speculation about internal tensions within opposition ranks, Obi has dismissed concerns that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may dominate or “hijack” any coalition structure involving the ADC.

Speaking during a visit to LEA Primary School in Abuja, Obi described Atiku as a “dear elder brother and respected leader,” downplaying fears of rivalry within the emerging opposition bloc.