The battle for the Northern vote is shaping up as one of the defining contests of the 2027 presidential election, with political actors and analysts sharply divided over the prospects of Peter Obi in the region.
The latest dispute followed comments by Abdul Danbature, National President of the Arewa Youth Assembly for Good Leadership, who declared that Northern youths would not support Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), unless he secured their backing.
Danbature argued that Obi had failed to consult Northern youths before declaring his presidential ambition, insisting that the region would be more favourably disposed towards a candidate identified with the political legacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, his position has met resistance from political analysts and supporters of the emerging Obi-Kwankwaso alliance, who questioned whether any individual or youth organisation could legitimately speak for millions of young voters across Northern Nigeria.
Political analyst Abba Gwale said Obi remained a competitive force in parts of the North, arguing that the former Anambra State governor could build on the support he attracted in the region during the 2023 presidential election.
