Nkiruka Nistoran, publisher of NN News Media, has made a public appeal to former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, urging him not to run for president in 2027.
In a statement shared via social media, Nistoran emphasized the need for national unity and strategic sacrifice, proposing that the North be allowed to complete the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s term.
Yar’Adua, who passed away on May 5, 2010, midway through his presidency, left behind an unfinished tenure that many in the North still regard as a political void. Nistoran argues that allowing a Northern candidate to serve a single term in 2027 would honor Yar’Adua’s memory and promote fairness in Nigeria’s power rotation.
“The North should be granted the opportunity to complete late Yar’Adua’s term of four years, in honor of his memory and in the interest of fairness,” she wrote. “Therefore, the idea of Southern presidency in 2027 should not be considered. @PeterObi make this sacrifice, that is political strategy.”
In a series of tweets, Nistoran further clarified that the South-East is not desperate for the presidency in 2027. Instead, she called for alignment with a broader coalition that supports a Northern candidate, suggesting that such a move would pave the way for a Southern presidency in 2031.
She praised Kenneth Okonkwo for effectively conveying the South-East’s position, stating, “Kenneth Okonkwo is a blessing to the South-East. He is delivering our message. No Southerner can win a southern seating president.”
Nistoran also expressed skepticism about Peter Obi’s political viability, describing him as a charitable figure rather than a strategic politician. She warned that contesting independently would lead to failure and urged him to make smart political deals.
“PO isn’t a politician, he’s a charitable figure who genuinely loves helping people. While charity can influence politics, the two aren’t the same,” she tweeted. “Politics is more like a strategic game than a charitable organization.”
According to her, the North remains unconvinced by Obi’s promise of a single term and is more likely to support President Tinubu again, viewing him as a safer path to reclaiming power in 2031.
“FACT! PO can’t be president in 2027. But in the year 2031.”
