Nigeria's Politics and Overt Ambition
31 December 2025 By Abiodun Kareem Giwa
Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
Nigeria's politics is an interesting episode requiring attention. The military and past political leaders have mismanaged the country to an extent that is beyond repair, leaving a generation of new leaders to scramble among themselves to determine who is capable of repairing the damage and repositioning the nation on a path of growth. Overt ambition poses a problem; money plays a significant role in who wins the presidential election, while performance matters little.
Peter Obi, one of the presidential candidates, has stated that he has not transitioned from learning about governance experience globally to seeking the vice-presidential position. He aspires to be president and believes he holds the solution to Nigeria's problems. He is not alone. There is also the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who also believes he is the solution. Both men now belong to the same party, and they will have to fight it out to be the party's presidential candidate.
If there are Nigerians to be described as politically ambitious, both men are, and they have moved from their former parties to target the presidency. Atiku moved from the People's Democratic Party, PDP, to the newly formed African Democratic Party, ADC. Obi, too, has moved from the Labor Party and joined Atiku in the ADC. Atiku was a member of the PDP for a long time, from his days as vice president to the last election he lost to the incumbent. Coming second. Obi seems like a master in the game. He moved from the PDP to the Labor Party, where he came third as a presidential candidate. He has joined Atiku in the ADC, disregarding the warning from the Labor Party against abandoning the party. Would Obi cede the presidential position to Atiku, or would Atiku agree to allow Obi to be the flagbearer?
No one has become the nation's president based on overt ambition without money and opportunity playing bigger roles. Money comes first, not only in Nigeria, but in virtually every country. Nigeria's Shehu Shagari did not have money and experience or personality. However, he was surrounded by money bags who stood between him and Obafemi Awolowo, who had the personality and experience. And some people said the military favored Shagari as a man they could control. And he was kicked out by the same military when he lost control. Olusegun Obasanjo did not have any experience other than being a former head of state, for whom no one could be silent. He was brought out of the prison where he had been remanded by the strongman Sanni Abacha to be the presidential candidate and was escorted by the military to the coronation. Lest we forget, Bashorun MKO Abiola had the money and the personality. However, his own friends in the military were his arch enemies. Musa Yar Dua might have had the money. Still, he also had the military support and the recompense for the love of a late brother who was a respected military leader and politician. Goodluck had the opportunity, and not the money and the experience. The current leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has the money, the personality, and the experience as a two-term governor of Lagos State - the country's foremost and richest state.
The ADC aims to be the party that produces the next president. It has both Atiku and Obi to choose from. Atiku has repeatedly stated that he is the man. He possesses the education, the personality, and the experience of having served as Vice President under Obasanjo for eight years. He is 79 years old. He will be 81 in 2027, when the next election is scheduled to be held. Age seems to be working against him. Obi must have calculated the Atiku age factor before he decided to join the ADC. Obi is 64 and will be 66 in 2027. He is still a younger fellow compared to Atiku. Obi may think Atiku will give up the ambition when he is 81. Pundits say he is mistaken if Atiku remains alive. The only solution to Obi's ambition, they say, is to be vice president and become president if anything happens to Atiku, with a reference to how Goodluck became president upon Yar Dua's death. Some people say remaining with the Labor Party would have been beneficial to Obi than jumping around switching party, and that his mistake is that he thinks the ADC will automatically produce the next president, and that he may want to be like Shagari who lacked the money but surrounded by money bags.
The presidency is not automatic for the ADC. The ruling party will have a way to explain the case of two men with overt ambition on the same ship as egregious and dangerous for the country. However, the party will give the power in office a good fight, with the PDP acting as a spoiler, as some of its members may maintain their roles, favoring Tinubu, as they did in 2023.
Peter Obi, one of the presidential candidates, has stated that he has not transitioned from learning about governance experience globally to seeking the vice-presidential position. He aspires to be president and believes he holds the solution to Nigeria's problems. He is not alone. There is also the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who also believes he is the solution. Both men now belong to the same party, and they will have to fight it out to be the party's presidential candidate.
If there are Nigerians to be described as politically ambitious, both men are, and they have moved from their former parties to target the presidency. Atiku moved from the People's Democratic Party, PDP, to the newly formed African Democratic Party, ADC. Obi, too, has moved from the Labor Party and joined Atiku in the ADC. Atiku was a member of the PDP for a long time, from his days as vice president to the last election he lost to the incumbent. Coming second. Obi seems like a master in the game. He moved from the PDP to the Labor Party, where he came third as a presidential candidate. He has joined Atiku in the ADC, disregarding the warning from the Labor Party against abandoning the party. Would Obi cede the presidential position to Atiku, or would Atiku agree to allow Obi to be the flagbearer?
No one has become the nation's president based on overt ambition without money and opportunity playing bigger roles. Money comes first, not only in Nigeria, but in virtually every country. Nigeria's Shehu Shagari did not have money and experience or personality. However, he was surrounded by money bags who stood between him and Obafemi Awolowo, who had the personality and experience. And some people said the military favored Shagari as a man they could control. And he was kicked out by the same military when he lost control. Olusegun Obasanjo did not have any experience other than being a former head of state, for whom no one could be silent. He was brought out of the prison where he had been remanded by the strongman Sanni Abacha to be the presidential candidate and was escorted by the military to the coronation. Lest we forget, Bashorun MKO Abiola had the money and the personality. However, his own friends in the military were his arch enemies. Musa Yar Dua might have had the money. Still, he also had the military support and the recompense for the love of a late brother who was a respected military leader and politician. Goodluck had the opportunity, and not the money and the experience. The current leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has the money, the personality, and the experience as a two-term governor of Lagos State - the country's foremost and richest state.
The ADC aims to be the party that produces the next president. It has both Atiku and Obi to choose from. Atiku has repeatedly stated that he is the man. He possesses the education, the personality, and the experience of having served as Vice President under Obasanjo for eight years. He is 79 years old. He will be 81 in 2027, when the next election is scheduled to be held. Age seems to be working against him. Obi must have calculated the Atiku age factor before he decided to join the ADC. Obi is 64 and will be 66 in 2027. He is still a younger fellow compared to Atiku. Obi may think Atiku will give up the ambition when he is 81. Pundits say he is mistaken if Atiku remains alive. The only solution to Obi's ambition, they say, is to be vice president and become president if anything happens to Atiku, with a reference to how Goodluck became president upon Yar Dua's death. Some people say remaining with the Labor Party would have been beneficial to Obi than jumping around switching party, and that his mistake is that he thinks the ADC will automatically produce the next president, and that he may want to be like Shagari who lacked the money but surrounded by money bags.
The presidency is not automatic for the ADC. The ruling party will have a way to explain the case of two men with overt ambition on the same ship as egregious and dangerous for the country. However, the party will give the power in office a good fight, with the PDP acting as a spoiler, as some of its members may maintain their roles, favoring Tinubu, as they did in 2023.
Comment Form is loading comments...
