A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has admitted that the party is facing difficulties selling its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to voters in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Galadima, a close ally of Obi’s running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, made the admission while speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday.

According to him, although the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket has encountered resistance in the North, the challenges are not impossible to overcome.

“We have a lot of problems. We are having a lot of problems, but the problems are not insurmountable. We will overcome those problems,” Galadima said.

To explain his point, he compared the situation to countries that continue negotiations despite conflicts.

“Let me give you one typical example. There is a war right now going on in the Middle East between America and Iran, but at the same time, they are on the negotiation table. So it doesn’t matter,” he said.

Galadima also defended Obi against attempts to link him to the 1966 military coup, arguing that the former Anambra State governor should not be blamed for events that happened decades before he became an adult.

“Did Obi? How old was Obi in 1966? How would he carry the cross of those who did it? It doesn’t matter even if he did it,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to move beyond historical grievances, noting that the late Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was pardoned after the civil war and later returned to participate in Nigeria’s democratic process.

“You’ve just shown me Odumegwu Ojukwu. His action caused the death of his own people and other people, but he was forgiven and pardoned, and came back to Nigeria and participated in the electoral processes of forming a government,” Galadima said.

He added that discussions about the 1966 coup should also recognise that many Igbos lost their lives during the crisis.

“So, if, for example, let’s assume that what these people are saying is true, have they also, if the Igbos killed our leaders, have they also looked at the other side? How many Igbos also got killed?” he asked.

Galadima maintained that despite the challenges of marketing Obi in the North, the NDC remains confident that it will overcome the obstacles through continued engagement with voters.