In a recent interview, Hon. Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives representing Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State, asserted that Peter Obi's performance in the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party banner was significantly boosted by religious and tribal sentiments.
Abejide, who also serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Customs, made these remarks amid ongoing discussions about opposition strategies for the 2027 elections.
Abejide highlighted that Obi's votes, particularly from Northern Christians, were influenced by fears that a Bola Tinubu presidency would restrict religious freedoms. "People, especially the Northern Christians, believed that they would be in trouble if Asiwaju came in as president.
They believed they would not have room to exercise their faith, but it’s not like that today," Abejide stated during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today on January 2, 2026.
He further emphasized that President Tinubu has demonstrated he is not a religious bigot, noting, "The way the president handled the whole thing, they know he’s not a religious bigot, and he does not believe in extremism of any religion, whether Christian or Muslim."
The lawmaker's comments come shortly after Peter Obi's defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31, 2025, a move that has sparked speculation about potential opposition alliances. Abejide, an ADC member himself, criticized attempts to replicate the 2023 electoral dynamics, warning that such strategies are built on a "faulty foundation."
He dismissed calculations combining votes from Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and others as unrealistic, stating, "If anybody is capitalising on what happened in 2023 and calculating that if they put Atiku’s vote and put Obi’s votes, they’re going to beat APC, it’s just like the person is building castles in the air."
Abejide also pointed out internal challenges within the ADC, including leadership crises that remain unresolved in court, and questioned the validity of Obi's recent party registration in Enugu State rather than his home ward in Anambra.
"He’s supposed to go to his ward and register from his ward. Then it can be recognised. If you go to the zonal office and you register as a politician, this kind of politics is a new system to me," he added.
The statement has elicited varied reactions online and in political circles. Some commentators, including supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), echoed Abejide's views, suggesting that Obi's 2023 momentum fueled by what they describe as neutralized religious narratives may diminish by up to 50% in future contests.
Critics, however.labeled the accusations hypocritical, pointing to the APC's Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023, the use of fake bishops in campaigns, and ethnic appeals like "Yoruba turn" as evidence of similar tactics employed by Tinubu's camp.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections, these discussions underscore the persistent role of identity politics in the nation's electoral landscape. Neither Peter Obi nor the Labour Party has issued an official response to Abejide's claims as of this release.