Ali Modu Sheriff: Northern Voters Will Not Support Peter Obi in 2027
Former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff has declared that northern Nigerian voters will not support Labour Party's Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, citing shifting political dynamics.
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Former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff has asserted that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, will not receive support from northern voters in the 2027 election. Sheriff, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television, according to Daily Trust.
Sheriff maintained that despite Obi’s previous electoral gains in states such as Plateau and Nasarawa during the 2023 contest, the political landscape has since shifted. He stated he was 'not worried' about Obi’s prospects, emphasizing that northerners 'will never vote for him' in the upcoming election. The claim was also reported by Vanguard News, which cited Sheriff’s comments on July 6, 2026.
The assertion comes amid ongoing debates over Obi’s national appeal and the regional polarization that continues to shape Nigerian electoral politics. While Obi ran under the Labour Party banner in 2023, Sheriff referred to him as a candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in a Naija News report—a possible misattribution or reflection of evolving party alignments. Neither the Labour Party nor Obi’s office has issued a public response to Sheriff’s statements.
Sheriff’s comments underscore persistent regional divides in Nigeria’s political discourse, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections. As a former APC leader and influential northern political figure, his stance may reflect broader sentiment within certain northern power blocs. However, the extent to which this view is shared across the region remains to be seen, especially given Obi’s demonstrated ability to attract cross-regional support in previous elections.