- As he backs Peter Obi
A Political Economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has backed Peter Obi’s bid for the presidency in 2027, warning that he would no longer support the former Governor of Anambra State if he accepts a vice-presidential position.
Utomi disclosed this in a post on his official X account on Thursday, saying his support for Obi was specifically tied to his ambition to become president.
“Peter Obi has my support for the presidency. But my position is clear, I am not supporting the idea of Peter Obi becoming somebody else’s Vice President. The day Peter Obi accepts a Vice Presidential position, I will walk away from his corner,” he said.
Utomi said his position is not about personalities but about the leadership direction he believes Nigeria needs.
“My concern is not about personalities. It is about the kind of leadership Nigeria needs and the direction in which we want our country to go,” he said.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, is seeking the presidency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), amid continuing opposition realignments ahead of the 2027 poll.
Utomi also renewed his call for an age limit for Nigerians seeking executive office, proposing that presidential and gubernatorial candidates should be no older than 70.
“I have also argued that we should begin to rethink the age of those seeking executive office.
“The Nigerian presidency should not become a retirement home for politicians. I believe there should be a serious national conversation about limiting presidential and gubernatorial candidates to those aged 70 or below,” he said.
Nigeria’s Constitution currently provides minimum age requirements for presidential and governorship candidates but does not impose an upper age limit.
Utomi said the country needed leadership focused on the future rather than “another cycle of political succession”, adding that Nigerians should judge the principles he has publicly stated for themselves.