Political economist Prof. Pat Utomi has said he supports Peter Obi’s presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general election but would withdraw his backing if the former Anambra State governor accepts a vice-presidential position.
Utomi made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today aired on January 1, 2026. He reiterated that his support for Obi was specifically tied to the former governor seeking the presidency.
“Peter Obi has my support for the presidency,” he said. “But my position is clear, I am not supporting the idea of Peter Obi becoming somebody else’s Vice President.”
He added: “The day Peter Obi accepts a Vice Presidential position, I will walk away from his corner. I have said this plainly, and I stand by it.”
Utomi said his position was not based on personalities but on what he described as the type of leadership Nigeria requires.
“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.
Utomi Proposes 70-Year Age Limit
During the interview, Utomi also called for a rethink of the age of Nigerians seeking executive political office. He proposed that presidential and governorship candidates should be aged 70 or below.
“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,” Utomi said.
He said Nigeria needed leadership focused on the future rather than what he described as “another cycle of political succession.”
“I believe there should be a serious national conversation about limiting presidential and gubernatorial candidates to those aged 70 or below,” he said.
Utomi added that these were principles he had stated publicly and that Nigerians should judge them for themselves.
2027 Opposition Ticket Discussions
The remarks have resurfaced amid continuing discussions over opposition alliances and possible presidential tickets ahead of the 2027 election. Utomi has also been involved in efforts to engage opposition presidential candidates on producing a single candidate.
The comments were made in January, before subsequent changes in the opposition political landscape. Recent reports have placed Obi among candidates planning to contest the presidency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Punch reported Utomi’s remarks after the January interview.
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