Former Anambra State governor and presidential hopeful on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that he is distancing himself from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Obi spoke on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Spier Dialogue 2026, a pan-African forum focused on governance issues.

According to him, “There are very few people I am as close to as Atiku. So there is no question of me avoiding him. He remains a highly respected leader and like an elder brother to me.

“I am not running away from him — never. This has nothing to do with avoiding anyone. I have never run from anybody. I simply approach things in my own way,” he stated.

Obi and Atiku had earlier aligned under the African Democratic Congress as part of a coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Obi officially joined the ADC on January 1, 2026, a move Atiku welcomed, describing it as a significant step in strengthening political coalition-building in Nigeria.