The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has claimed that the political career of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, effectively ended after the 2023 general elections.
Bwala made the assertion during an interview on The Clarity Zone Podcast, where he argued that Obi is no longer a significant force in Nigeria’s current political landscape.
According to Bwala, successful political leaders across the world rise with a clear vision and purpose and go on to build enduring political structures—something he said Obi failed to do after the 2023 polls.
“Peter Obi is not at the moment a subject in the political terrain. His career ended in 2023,” Bwala stated.
He further claimed that Obi would struggle to secure even a quarter of the votes he received during the last presidential election, arguing that his 2023 performance was driven largely by a unique political moment rather than a sustainable movement.
Bwala attributed Obi’s electoral surge in 2023 to public discontent following the decision of a major political party to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, which he said triggered apathy among parts of the Christian community.
“He rode on an opportunity that presented itself in 2023,” Bwala said, adding that Obi capitalised on the moment to mobilise dissatisfied voters.
However, the presidential aide maintained that many of those voters have since shifted their support back to President Bola Tinubu, claiming they now believe Tinubu would not use religion in a way that undermines national unity.
“The majority of this same community has now come back to this president because they have realised that the last person who would use religion against the interest of others is Bola Tinubu,” Bwala added.
Peter Obi has yet to respond publicly to the remarks.
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