Why I supported Obi in 2022 — and why my view changed — by Olusegun Aigbogun

In 2021, I argued that Nigeria needed to give the South East, specifically an Igbo candidate, a fair chance at the presidency. For decades, the region had felt politically marginalized, and if we were committed to balancing regional equity and shared responsibility for Nigeria’s future, then supporting an Igbo candidate seemed like the right step. When Peter Obi emerged, I backed him immediately, even before fully understanding who he was or what he represented.

But he lost.

Not because the election was rigged, but because the momentum he enjoyed was mismanaged. He lacked the structure, resources, and strategic depth required for a presidential race. The wave of change that carried him forward was powerful, but he didn’t know how to harness it. He underestimated his opponents, and his campaign machinery simply wasn’t built for the scale of the challenge.

After the election, I took time to analyze his performance more critically. What I found was unsettling: I had supported a candidate who often said what people wanted to hear but struggled with consistency and high‑level political negotiation. In my view, he wasn’t equipped to navigate the complex economic and political terrain Nigeria was entering after the Buhari years. The more I examined it, the more convinced I became that his presidency might have deepened Nigeria’s challenges rather than solved them.

Tribal politics can only take a nation so far. At the end of the day, you need someone who can close the deal.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu caught my attention from his inauguration speech, especially with the decisive removal of the petroleum subsidy. Over time, I came to see him as a leader determined to pull Nigeria away from the brink of economic collapse. His approach signaled intentionality, not just patching wounds, but confronting the structural issues that had been ignored for too long.

Today, I believe Tinubu has redirected Nigeria from a dangerous economic trajectory. His leadership reminds me of Obafemi Awolowo, a figure many consider one of the most visionary leaders Nigeria never had the chance to elect as president.