Details have emerged regarding yesterday’s closed-door meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and former presidential candidate Peter Obi.
The two leaders are reportedly discussing strategies for a unified front in the 2027 presidential election.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the meeting took place on Thursday, with Obi disclosing insights about the engagement on his Facebook and X accounts.
It is understood that the meeting was a continuation of previous conversations between the two leaders over strategies for the 2027 race.
One source indicated that both men acknowledged sharing the same political base, noting that separate bids could give President Bola Tinubu a significant advantage. The source also revealed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been courting Jonathan, though he remains cautious due to internal crises within the party.
“This is the third or fourth time they’ve met since around Easter, but all previous meetings were kept private,” Daily Trust quoted a source. “The main discussion has been on who should step down for the other as the coalition’s presidential candidate. Obi secured the bulk of his 2023 votes from the South, particularly the South East and South South, as well as the traditional Middle Belt, which had been Jonathan’s stronghold in 2011. They realise they cannot afford to approach the next election independently.”
“Many PDP leaders have been appealing to Jonathan to fly the party’s flag, but he is wary of the internal crisis. He is waiting for assurances,” the source added.
Another insider noted that Obi’s camp has expressed concerns about being sidelined within any coalition they help build. “The ADC has not fully convinced the Obidient Movement that the party was structured to deliver an Atiku presidency,” the source explained.
Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 election, is expected to run again in 2027. While he has voiced support for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), he has not formally left the Labour Party or declared membership in the ADC.
Meanwhile, there have been calls for former President Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid in 2015, to contest again, though he has not publicly commented on such speculations.