Obi denies dodging Atiku, insisting he's never backed down from a confrontation.

Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and a presidential aspirant under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has rejected claims that he is evading former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the run-up to the 2027 presidential election.

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Obi made these remarks on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, where he was attending the Spier Dialogue 2026, a pan-African governance forum, amidst heightened speculation about his relationship with Atiku.

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According to Obi, his bond with Atiku is exceptionally strong, stating "There are very few human beings who are as close as I am to Atiku," which makes the notion of him avoiding Atiku implausible.

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He further emphasized his respect for Atiku, referring to him as "my very respected leader and elder brother," and reaffirmed that he does not evade him, saying "I don’t run from him, Never."

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Obi attributed his actions to his unique approach, saying "I just believe that I do things differently," rather than any intention to avoid Atiku.

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The comments come after Obi and Atiku attempted to establish a coalition platform using the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 election, with Obi formally joining the ADC on January 1, 2026.

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Atiku had welcomed Obi's move to the ADC, describing it as a significant step in building an opposition coalition against President Bola Tinubu.

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However, the alliance ultimately collapsed due to internal disagreements and legal disputes within the party, leading Obi to leave the ADC.

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Obi departed the ADC alongside Rabiu Kwankwaso to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress, citing the need to end what he termed "litigation-driven politics" in the country.