By Blessing J. Emmanuel
Kassim Afegbua, a former Edo State Commissioner and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that Labour Party’s Peter Obi stands no chance in the 2027 presidential race.
Afegbua, speaking during a political interview, accused Obi of failing to notify the state government during recent visits to Edo and warned that such actions were disrespectful.
“Tell Peter Obi not to be scared of Edo. Next time he’s coming, he should extend the courtesy of informing the Chief Executive of the state,” Afegbua said.
“We love people here. Edo is the heartbeat of Nigeria. We care about the safety of visitors.”
Afegbua, who is also a prominent media commentator, praised the leadership style of APC governorship candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo, describing him as humble and accessible.
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“His house is open to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. You’ll see him eating roasted corn and groundnuts with us. He doesn’t want an image he can’t sustain after office.”
He claimed the APC was gaining strong momentum in Edo State ahead of the September 2025 gubernatorial election, noting that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was losing members rapidly.
“PDP is almost empty. Just last Friday, a House of Reps member defected to the APC,” he said.
Turning to the 2027 general election, Afegbua delivered a stinging assessment of Obi’s chances.
“We are not scared of Obi. He will be beaten silly in 2027. And I mean it,” he stated.
He argued that the northern region of Nigeria, with its political maturity and strategic calculations, would rather support President Bola Tinubu for a second term than gamble on a new southern candidate.
“The North will not choose someone they can’t predict. If a candidate from the Southeast becomes president, do you think they’ll stop at four years? They’ll say he must die there. The agitation will be intense.”
Afegbua said the North would prefer a predictable outcome with Tinubu ending his second term in 2031, rather than an unpredictable presidency that could extend to 2035 under a new southern leader.
He also dismissed the current talk of opposition coalitions.
“By the time the real players step in, all these so-called coalitions will fizzle out. When the political nitty-gritty begins, the temperature will rise to a new octave.”
