Professor Pat Utomi has reaffirmed his support for Peter Obi’s bid for the Nigerian presidency in 2027, saying he would withdraw his backing if the former Anambra State governor accepts a vice-presidential position under another presidential candidate.
Utomi restated his position on Thursday as political parties and opposition figures intensify consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said his support for Obi was specifically tied to a presidential bid and not to an arrangement that would make him somebody else’s running mate.
“I have said this before, and I believe it is important to remind Nigerians of my position as we approach 2027. Peter Obi has my support for the presidency,” Utomi said.
He added that his position was clear on the vice-presidential question, saying, “The day Peter Obi accepts a Vice Presidential position, I will walk away from his corner.”
Utomi said his position was not based on personalities but on what he described as the kind of leadership Nigeria needs and the direction the country should take.
The political economist had expressed a similar position in January 2026 during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today. At the time, he said Obi would contest the presidency and that he would no longer support him if he accepted a vice-presidential slot.
His comments come amid continuing discussions among opposition parties over possible cooperation ahead of the 2027 election. Obi is currently the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, while former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress.
The possibility of an alliance between opposition political forces has generated discussion over how presidential ambitions might be reconciled. Obi said earlier in September that he had not rejected a vice-presidential offer from Atiku because, according to him, no such offer had been made. He also said any possible alliance should be discussed between the political parties rather than treated simply as an arrangement between individual candidates.
Utomi has also consistently advocated an age limit for Nigerians seeking executive political offices. In his latest statement, he reiterated his position that presidential and gubernatorial candidates should not be above 70 years of age.
According to him, Nigeria needs to begin a serious national conversation about the age of those seeking executive office. He argued that the presidency should not become a “retirement home for politicians” and said leadership should be focused on the future rather than another cycle of political succession.
Utomi previously made the same proposal in January, when he called for presidential and gubernatorial candidates to be aged 70 or below. He linked the proposal to concerns about generational transition and the demands of executive office.
The professor, who turned 70 in February 2026, has also said he personally ruled himself out of seeking executive office because of his age. In an earlier interview, he argued that Nigerians should consider age as one factor when deciding who should occupy executive positions.
Utomi’s latest comments therefore reinforce two positions he has previously made public: his support for Obi is tied to a presidential candidacy, and he favours an age ceiling of 70 for those seeking the presidency or governorship.
With the 2027 political realignments still evolving, the question of opposition alliances, presidential candidacies and possible running-mate arrangements is expected to remain a significant part of the political debate ahead of the election.
