2027: Tanko, Datti, Okupe, Okonkwo, others who parted ways with Peter Obi

The defection of Dr Yunusa Tanko, former National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, to the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has added to the list of prominent figures who were once closely associated with Mr Peter Obi but have since parted ways with him or publicly criticised his political direction.

Tanko served as a key figure in Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign.

He recently accepted an appointment as Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council of the SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

His departure has renewed discussions about the political structure surrounding Obi ahead of the 2027 general election.

Among the prominent figures who have had disagreements with Obi or moved away from his political camp are his former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed; former campaign Director-General, Doyin Okupe; actor and lawyer, Kenneth Okonkwo; former governorship candidate in Anambra State, Valentine Ozigbo; and former Deputy Campaign Manager, Isaac Balami.

Datti Baba-Ahmed was Obi’s running mate on the Labour Party ticket in the 2023 presidential election. He had also publicly expressed disagreements with aspects of Obi’s political direction.

Okupe served as Director-General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation. He subsequently left the Labour Party and publicly differed with Obi over his political choices.

Similarly, Okonkwo, one of Obi’s prominent campaign spokespersons in 2023, parted ways with the former Anambra governor and became a vocal critic of his political strategy.

Ozigbo, a former governorship candidate in Anambra State and political ally of Obi, also moved away from his political camp in 2025.

Balami, who served as Deputy Campaign Manager of the Obi-Datti presidential campaign, subsequently aligned with the All Progressives Congress, APC.