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By Paul Okolo

In Nigeria’s turbulent journey towards nationhood, the pursuit of power is rarely gentle. It is a contest of vision, grit, and, more often than not, grim necessity.

Let us speak the truth without any softening proverb: nation-building is not a walk in the park. It is a prolonged tug-of-war between lofty ideals and hard realities, between the promise of a better tomorrow and the ghosts of an imperfect past.

Into this fraught arena steps Peter Obi once more, this time not as the lone reformer of 2023, but as a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led opposition coalition for the 2027 elections.

For some, Obi’s move reeks of compromise. For others, it is the logical next phase of his journey. Critics have rushed to paint it as a betrayal of his reformist image, a dalliance with the same old establishment figures he once stood against. But beneath the surface of outrage lies a deeper truth.

Coalition-building, far from being a betrayal of principle, is the very terrain upon which credible power is constructed in a democracy. The real test is not whether Obi stands alone, but whether he can lead others towards a shared vision of national renewal.

If Nigeria is to move forward, then reformers like Obi must not only preach from the margins but also learn to negotiate at the centre.

● Fear of losing the Obidient base

The most emotionally charged criticism so far has been that Obi risks alienating his Obidient movement. These are the young Nigerians, urban professionals, market women, and first-time voters who saw in him a symbol of hope and a break from the past. By aligning with a broader coalition, critics argue that he dilutes his brand.

Yet this argument ignores the essence of Obi’s appeal. His base is not built on rigid party loyalty but on belief in his vision: fiscal discipline, inclusive governance, and sincere leadership.

His support was never about Labour Party letterheads. It was about a new kind of politics. Those who joined Labour Party after Obi joined did not do so because they suddenly saw the LP as some shining light in the dark. They joined simply because Obi joined and they believed in his agenda.

Now, if Obi clearly communicates that this coalition is the vehicle to amplify that agenda, not abandon it, then his base will understand.

As an aside, Tinubu’s political transitions, from the AD to the ACN to the APC, did not erode his Lagos base. Likewise, Obi’s record in Anambra, including prudent financial management and investment in education, remains the most persuasive argument for continued support.

● The “recycled politicians” dilemma

The presence of Atiku Abubakar, David Mark, and Nasir el-Rufai within the coalition has fuelled accusations that Obi is now dining with the same political class he once challenged. The charge is emotionally potent, but intellectually simplistic.

Nigeria’s political terrain is not a Utopia. Building a viable electoral alternative requires coalition with those who carry institutional memory, political reach, and experience in navigating the federal structure.

What matters is not whether Obi sits in the same room with veterans, but whether he bends to their agenda or they bend to his.

If we do not want to be economical with the truth, we will all recall that Tinubu’s 2013 merger to form the APC was criticised as an alliance of strange bedfellows. Yet, it led to the first peaceful handover of power in Nigeria’s history. Reform does not mean exclusion. It means steering the ship in a new direction, even if it is filled with old sailors.

● Labour Party turmoil

The Julius Abure-led Labour Party faction has threatened fire and brimstone, accusing Obi of dual loyalty. But in truth, the Labour Party is as divided internally as it is externally.

Obi was not born inside the Labour Party. He found a platform there when others would not offer one. And he built a movement from the ground up.

Before we all start acting as if we’ve just arrived from Mars, let us remember that party conflicts are part of Nigeria’s political DNA. What is unusual is the magnitude of the movement Obi built around himself.

His allegiance, by every public measure, has always been to the Nigerian people. The Labour Party’s factional bickering is unlikely to dent his momentum, especially if he either resolves matters internally or carries his base into the coalition as a unified force.

Just as Tinubu left the AD to form the ACN and later helped birth the APC, Obi can use this moment to build a broader national platform.

● Opportunism or adaptability?

Obi’s journey from APGA to PDP to Labour to the ADC-led coalition has opened him up to charges of political inconsistency. In the Nigerian imagination, party-switching often smells of opportunism. But viewed differently, it also reflects adaptability in an unpredictable landscape.

To be clear, Obi has remained consistent in one crucial area: his values. Across all platforms, he has preached prudence, productivity, and people-centred governance.

He left Anambra with liquid cash, invested in education, and governed without ostentation. These are not the markings of a man chasing power for its own sake.

Since the critics have conveniently forgotten, let us remind them that Tinubu, too, moved across parties. Was it opportunistic when he did so? Or, charges of opportunism only arise when it is Obi?

To dismiss accusations of opportunism, Peter Obi only needs to lean on his track record and remind Nigerians that he is adapting not to survive but to lead.

● Risk of marginalisation within the Coalition

Festus Keyamo and others have argued that Obi could be used for his popularity and then discarded, with the presidential ticket going to more entrenched figures.

To be fair, that is a cynical view. But it is also one that cannot be dismissed outright.

Obi, however, enters this coalition not as an underdog but as the most popular opposition figure from the 2023 cycle. He won the Federal Capital Territory. He won Lagos. He amassed over six million votes without a traditional structure. His moral currency, particularly among youth, cannot be ignored. Okwute, the Rock, remains solid.

Moreover, Obi has demonstrated the right strategic instincts in building a national profile against impossible odds. The same instinct can preserve his influence within this coalition.

● Legal concerns about party affiliation

Questions have emerged about whether Obi must formally resign from the Labour Party before aligning with the ADC.

Concerns about dual affiliations are valid but manageable. Nigeria’s electoral laws require formal resignation, and Obi, with the ADC’s experienced legal team, is likely ensuring compliance well before 2027.

Or, are we forgetting that Tinubu’s shift from the AD to ACN involved similar manoeuvring and did not result in disqualification? Obi and the ADC will likely tread the same cautious path. They, after all, are not babies in politics.

● An ideologically hollow Coalition?

Another concern is that the ADC-led coalition has no ideological spine, that it exists solely to unseat President Tinubu.

Of course, there is some truth to this critique, but it is not terminal. Coalitions often begin in opposition and mature into vision-bearing entities.

Again, let us remind these latter-day critics that the APC’s 2015 “Change” slogan was light on detail but rich in electoral value. Only after seizing power did the party begin to define its priorities and policies, all to the detriment of the Nigerian people.

Obi’s job now is to ensure that this coalition is more than a gang of disgruntled elites. A difficult task, to be sure, but his 2023 manifesto, with its clear economic and social vision, can serve as the ideological anchor.

■ Exclusion of Youth and Women

The coalition’s unveiling lacked visible representation from youth and women, prompting immediate concern from voices like Aisha Yesufu.

This critique, raised by voices like Aisha Yesufu, is valid but premature. Obi’s 2023 campaign thrived on youth and women organisers, and he can ensure their inclusion through leadership quotas and policy priorities, as he did with Anambra’s education programmes targeting young people. Coalitions evolve, and Obi’s track record suggests he will not let youth and women be sidelined.

Sincerity in Question

Allegations from Labour Party figures such as Abayomi Arabambi about Obi’s sincerity are clearly politically motivated.

Arabambi’s claims lack evidence and clash with Obi’s record of integrity, such as leaving Anambra awash with liquid cash and rejecting lavish perks as governor and ex-governor. Such politically motivated noise cannot overshadow his proven sincerity.

The One-Term Promise Doubt

Doubts about Obi’s one-term pledge are speculative and peripheral. His credibility rests on governance, not soundbites: Anambra’s financial status at the time he left office and transparent leadership testify to his honesty, unlike many peers who avoid such commitments.

While Obi is only human and not a celestial being residing in the heavens, pound for pound he is more honest than any other politician of his calibre. Indeed, even his critics admit: “Obi will not steal, and he will not let others steal.”

To sum it all up, as the renowned honest manager of the people’s resources that he is, Peter Obi’s entrance into the ADC-led coalition is what imbues the movement with possibility.

For Obi, this is a strategic evolution rooted in the brutal realisties of Nigerian politics. To build a nation, one must first win it. And to win it, one must be willing to enter complex partnerships, not for self-preservation, but for national transformation.

Coalitions are not kumbaya affairs. They are messy, loud, and riddled with contradictions. But if guided by principle, they can become the very tools through which broken nations are repaired.

This is not about Peter Obi the saint, because he is only human and has never claimed sainthood anywhere. It is about Peter Obi the strategist, stepping into the arena to battle not just for relevance, but for reform.

Let us not lose sight of the stakes. Nigeria teeters on the brink of chronic instability. A flailing economy, mass youth unemployment, pervasive insecurity, and a political culture allergic to reform. If ever there was a time to prioritise strategy over sentiment, this is it.

With Nigeria grappling with soaring inflation and economic hardship, Obi’s coalition is not just necessary, it may be the only path to repair a nation in urgent need of reform.

■ Paul Okolo, a political analyst, is based in Abuja.