Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi is reportedly engaged in ongoing discussions with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political actors, signaling a potential realignment within Nigeria’s opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development was confirmed on Thursday by Dr. Tanko Yunusa, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, who stated that Obi remains open to dialogue with political parties and individuals committed to building a better Nigeria.
“It is no longer a secret. The PDP has made and is still making overtures,” Yunusa said in Abuja. “They are beckoning on Mr. Peter Obi — several of their leaders have spoken publicly about this.”
He added, “However, like our principal has said time and again, he remains open to discussions that will lead to the rescue of Nigeria from our present precarious socio-economic predicaments. It has never been about Peter Obi as a person. It has always been about Nigeria and the Nigerian people.”
Asked whether the PDP had made specific offers or if any decisions had been reached, Yunusa told Vanguard that discussions are ongoing and that Obi would announce any collective decision “when the time comes.”
Yunusa emphasized that the challenges facing Nigeria are greater than any individual ambition and require a united, national effort. “The opposition has since realized that the task before all who are genuinely interested in bequeathing a Nigeria future generations would be proud of is one that can only be achieved with unity of purpose,” he said.
Dr. Katch Onanuju, founding member of the Obidient Movement and Director General of the Heritage Centre, described the talks as a positive development. “Most of the problems the opposition is trying to solve today began in the PDP. The solution can also be found when the PDP and other opposition parties come together to tackle the elephant in the room,” he said.
Onanuju noted that Obi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other key figures were PDP members until shortly before the 2023 elections. “It was the refusal of the party to zone the presidential ticket to the South after eight years of President Buhari, a northerner, that angered many, especially southerners, leading to a mass exodus,” he explained.
He also pointed to the internal dissent within the PDP, including the G-5 governors led by Chief Nyesom Wike, now FCT Minister, who remained in the party but opposed its presidential candidate in protest.
“This is another opportunity to right those wrongs and give every part of Nigeria a sense of belonging as we approach 2027,” Onanuju added.
PDP chieftain and founding member Professor Jerry Gana, speaking on Arise TV, stated that Obi would be a strong contender if selected as the party’s candidate.
Peter Obi resigned from the PDP in May 2022 following disagreements over the zoning of the presidential ticket. He subsequently joined the Labour Party, becoming its presidential flagbearer in the 2023 elections, where he emerged as a leading opposition figure, mobilizing significant youth support through the Obidient Movement.
As the 2027 elections approach, the outcome of these talks could significantly influence Nigeria’s political landscape and the unity of its opposition forces.
