By Sunny A. David, Awka
International rights activist and journalist Donu Kogbara has stated that former Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi has attained an exceptional level of global recognition, surpassing all other Nigerian politicians in popularity over the past three years.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV and was monitored by our correspondent Awka, Kogbara highlighted Obi’s rapid political ascent since he parted ways with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). She credited his independent candidacy with propelling him to remarkable levels of domestic and international acclaim.
“Peter Obi is far and away the most popular politician in Nigeria today, and has been for the past three years,” Kogbara said. “I’m talking about from the time he left the PDP to contest in his own right. That decision marked a turning point in his political journey.”
Reflecting on Obi’s previous political roles, she pointed out the stark difference in public reception between his 2019 vice-presidential run alongside Atiku Abubakar and his later solo campaign. “He ran with Atiku in 2019, and they didn’t perform particularly well. But there’s something about Peter standing on his own that resonates now,” she observed.
Kogbara also shared personal anecdotes illustrating Obi’s international visibility. “I recently visited Sierra Leone, and once people knew I was Nigerian, many asked me, ‘Do you know Peter Obi?’” she recalled. “Even in London, I’ve had Uber drivers—some Yoruba, who you might assume would favor Asiwaju—tell me that Peter Obi is ‘their man.’”
Offering a bold perspective, Kogbara suggested that the only Nigerian politician who might have rivaled Obi’s popularity was former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. “It’s a radical thought, but I believe the only person who could have matched Obi’s popularity—had he been given the chance to run—is Osinbajo,” she stated.
She concluded by reflecting on the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections, suggesting a different outcome might have reshaped the political contest. “If the APC had produced Osinbajo as its candidate, he could have posed a serious challenge to Obi in terms of public appeal and perception,” Kogbara said.
