Politics
Peter Obi In Dilemma Over 2027 Presidential Ticket As Chances Slim In ADC, LP, PDP
Party sources said that even if Obi decides to return to the PDP, he stands a little chance of clinching the ticket, which some members think should be handed over to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The odds seem to be stacking up against the presidential aspiration of former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 elections, according to indications from his inner circle
Obi, who flew the flag of the LP in 2023 and placed third in the election, is yet to declare the platform he intends to use to realise his ambition in the next election
Although he claims to remain an LP member, he has been hobnobbing lately with the Africa Democratic Party (ADC) whose ticket, observers say, appears to be ready made for former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
The ADC structure is dominated by Atiku’s allies, including the interim national chairman, Chief David Mark and the national secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
Mark has denied that his executive committee is working for Atiku but Obi’s supporters appear not convinced.
They are openly alleging marginalization and have formally submitted a petition to Obi on the unfolding situation in ADC.
National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Tanko Yunusa, who signed the petition, claimed that the marginalization manifests at all levels.
“Our people are deliberately excluded at all levels,” he said, adding: “Several of our designated representatives and members are reportedly being excluded from crucial meetings where major decisions affecting the coalition are made.
“This creates an impression of marginalisation and undermines trust, which is essential for building a sustainable partnership.
“The current structure does not reflect the Obidient Movement’s strength and contribution to this coalition.
“We strongly believe that there should be at least one working committee member and one non-working committee member representing the Obidient Movement in each geopolitical zone.”
While the Atiku camp is said to be opened to offering Obi the vice presidential ticket, the former Anambra State governor and his supporters are insisting on the presidential ticket.
Party sources said given the present structure of the ADC, it will be very difficult for Obi to defeat Atiku in the presidential primary
“Even if Obi gets the ticket, he will be naïve to expect Atiku to campaign for him,” one source said.
He added: “In 2014, Atiku joined the APC after the party had been formed by other people, because he realised that Jonathan was firmly in control of PDP.
“That was why he ran to APC to seek the ticket despite the fact that he was not a foundation member.
“When he was beaten to the ticket by Buhari, he became lukewarm, unbothered by the party’s chances.
“In 2019, he returned to the PDP, ran against Buhari but lost. His ambition still lingers and nobody can take the (ADC) ticket from him.
“He became an advocate of single term out of desperation. The zoning principle means nothing to him. Is that the man that Obi wants to contest the ticket with?”
In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose ticket Obi ran as Atiku’s running mate in 2019 many top shots want him back and have been trying to lure him with the party’s ticket.
However, a major bloc in the party does not believe he has the capacity to run the country.
A few days ago, a founding member of the PDP, Prof. Jerry Gana, admitted that the party was discussing with Obi and other prominent Southern political figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Peter Obi is our product. We want to get him back, indeed, because he is a very, very great capital for any political party,” Gana said in a television interview.
Also last Friday, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed publicly invited Obi to return to the party.
However, the PDP today is not the same party Obi left in 2019.
Its rank has been depleted following the crises that trailed the party’s 2022 presidential primaries.
Many of its top members, including two serving governors, its vice presidential candidate in 2023, federal and state legislators and others have dumped it for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and others.
Party sources said that even if Obi decides to return to the party, he stands a little chance of clinching the ticket, which some members think should be handed over to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Prominent PDP members including former deputy national chairman Chief Olabode George, Governor Bala Mohammed and former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido are believed to be among those rooting for Jonathan, an Obi strategist, who does not want to be identified told The Nation on Friday. “The PDP appears ruled out and we are advising him to stick to the LP,” he said.
Though LP itself is badly factionalized, it looks the best bet, he added.
On one side of the LP is the Esther Nenadi Usman-led national caretaker committee to which Obi belongs.
Mrs. Usman is regarded by core members as an outsider whose influence in the party is peripheral.
On the other side is the Julius Abure faction which has fallen out with Obi.
Abure and Usman are still giving different interpretations to the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on the authentic chairman of the party.
Party sources said if the issue of leadership is not trashed out on time, it may pose a legal obstacle to Obi’s ambition at some point.
Like the PDP, the leadership crisis in LP has forced out many of its top members, including federal and state lawmakers.
Besides, the fervor that greeted the Obi brand in 2023 has waned considerably and the party is no longer as formidable as it was in the last elections.
Nonetheless, not a few loyalists of Obi believe the LP remains a viable platform for him. ” He should be consistent lest he will be like the serial presidential defector whom Nigerians have contempt for, ” another of his loyalists said.
“I can assure you that he is weighing the options and the right decision will be taken,” he said
Olujonwo Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has backed the re-election of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He expressed his support after joining the Tinubu Movement for Sustainable Governance Foundation (TMS), popularly known as the “Tinubu Must Stay” movement, to promote the president’s re-election agenda.
Olujonwo said his decision to join the movement was informed by his longstanding association with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his belief in the need to sustain the policies and reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.
He was formally received by the leadership of TMS at a forum in Abuja, where he expressed support for the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and called for increased public awareness of its policies and achievements.
Olujonwo, who serves as president of the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) and Project One Nigeria, as well as Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Housing, said he had been associated with the APC since 2014.
Explaining his political background, he said he was familiar with the party’s formation and its relationship with key political figures, including his father, former President Obasanjo, the late President Muhammadu Buhari and President Tinubu.
“I have been in the APC since 2014. I was there when my father hosted the late President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to form the movement. I am not new to the party,” he said.APC party merchandise
He argued that some of the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration were not being adequately communicated to Nigerians, adding that misinformation had contributed to negative perceptions of the government.
Olujonwo cited developments in the education sector, infrastructure and access to student loans as areas he believed deserved greater public attention.
“There is a lot of noise out there, and people are distorting what is going on. ASUU has had no strikes. Students have access to loans. Nigeria has become a massive construction site and an investors’ haven again. These are things we need to promote,” he said.
His decision to join the movement comes as political parties and their supporters begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, in which Tinubu is expected to seek another presidential term.
The move also places the son of the former president within a political platform established to defend the current administration’s policies and encourage public support for continuity in governance.
Welcoming Olujonwo to the movement, the National Coordinator of TMS and Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said his background gave him an understanding of the importance of economic reforms.
Inuwa drew a comparison between the economic reforms introduced during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and those being pursued by Tinubu, arguing that both periods involved policies intended to reshape Nigeria’s economy.
He cited telecommunications liberalisation and banking reforms under the elder Obasanjo as measures that helped establish the foundation for subsequent economic development.
“You grew up in a family that led the second wave of reforms in Nigeria. Telecommunications liberalisation, banking reforms—these laid a solid foundation. Being raised in that family, you understand what reforms mean,” Inuwa said.
He urged Nigerians to consider the long-term implications of government policies, warning that reversing ongoing reforms could undermine investor confidence and disrupt economic progress.
According to him, maintaining policy consistency would be important for attracting investment and sustaining developments in key sectors of the economy.
“We are building investors’ confidence. The naira is becoming strong. Our stock exchange is one of the fastest-growing. The Dangote Refinery is a game changer. If we start reversing these policies, we’ll go back to where we were,” Inuwa added.
Also speaking at the event, Marcel Ngogbehei, Director-General of TMS and a former coordinator of the Obidient Movement, praised the economic policies implemented during Obasanjo’s presidency.
Ngogbehei highlighted the former president’s role in securing debt relief for Nigeria and supporting the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, describing those measures as important contributions to the country’s economic development.
He said TMS intended to promote discussions about government policies through evidence, research and public engagement rather than propaganda.
“We’re happy you have decided to take this step. Your father was one of those who revolutionised this country. The debt was paid off, and major innovations were introduced in liberalising the economy. This is not about propaganda. We will engage respectfully, factually and transparently,” Ngogbehei said.
The organisation said it had established structures across the country, including a Board of Trustees, national coordinators and specialised directorates, to support its activities.
It also plans to use digital platforms, virtual town hall meetings, policy research and fact-checking initiatives to promote the government’s policies and address what it considers misinformation about the administration.
Following Olujonwo’s reception, TMS announced plans to expand its engagement with professional associations, youth organisations and community groups across the country.
The planned activities are intended to increase public participation in governance and communicate the administration’s policies to Nigerians across different states and geopolitical zones.
Meanwhile, Olusegun Obasanjo has previously expressed concerns about Nigeria’s economic challenges, arguing that the country has sufficient natural and human resources to become prosperous.
In an interview on C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu, the former president questioned why Nigeria continued to struggle with poverty despite its agricultural potential, vast land, water resources and large population.Buy Maps
“Give me one reason why Nigeria should be poor. Is it the land that we don’t have or the desert that we are in or the people that we don’t have or the water that we don’t have or the rain that we don’t have?” he asked.
Obasanjo also criticised policies that encourage the importation of goods that could be produced locally, arguing that such practices discourage domestic farmers and undermine local production.
He recalled how restrictions on rice imports were introduced in 1979 to encourage domestic production, claiming that subsequent administrations reversed the policy and allowed imported rice to compete with locally produced varieties.
“When our successors came, one of the first things they did was to lift importation of rice, not to encourage production of rice but to encourage importation of rice, and the farmers couldn’t sell their own rice,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has indicated plans to take disciplinary action against members accused of working against its interests, with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among those facing criticism over his alleged support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).Access Services
PDP chieftain Emmanuel Ogidi disclosed the party’s position during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday.
He discussed the lingering crisis within the opposition party and the steps its leadership intends to take against members accused of undermining its activities.
Ogidi described the situation as internal sabotage and maintained that the party could no longer afford to tolerate actions that weaken its structure, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum.
He accused Wike of maintaining a relationship with the PDP while allegedly supporting the interests of the APC, arguing that such conduct raised serious questions about loyalty and commitment to the opposition party.
“You can’t serve two masters. He (Wike) is supposed to be serving us in PDP, but he is serving APC. This is a threat to democracy. APC is using him to destroy democracy, and it’s deliberate, but we are very conscious of that and very soon you will hear what will happen,” Ogidi said. Access Services
The PDP chieftain’s comments suggest that the party may be preparing to take a firmer position against members it believes are contributing to its internal difficulties.
However, he did not disclose the specific disciplinary measures being considered or when any formal decision concerning Wike would be announced.
Ogidi also indicated that the party had moved beyond the demands previously presented by Wike’s camp during efforts to resolve the disagreements within the PDP.
His comments point to growing frustration among party members who believe that the disagreements have continued for too long and are affecting the party’s ability to prepare for future elections.
The dispute involving Wike and the PDP has remained a major issue within the party since the 2023 general elections, when divisions emerged over its presidential candidate, the distribution of party positions and disagreements surrounding the political future of its leadership.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, was a prominent PDP member before President Bola Tinubu appointed him as FCT minister in 2023.
His appointment placed him in the cabinet of an APC-led administration despite his continued association with the opposition party.
His role in the federal government has since generated disagreements among PDP members, with some questioning how a senior party figure can serve in an administration controlled by a political opponent while remaining associated with the PDP.
Ogidi, however, insisted that the PDP belongs to its members and supporters rather than any individual or faction.
He argued that no group should be allowed to dictate the party’s direction or prevent it from enforcing its rules.
He further warned that the party’s willingness to reconcile with aggrieved members should not be interpreted as an acceptance of indiscipline.
According to him, efforts to bring members together must be accompanied by accountability for actions considered harmful to the party.
The PDP remains one of Nigeria’s major political parties, but prolonged internal crises could affect its candidate-selection process, campaign planning and efforts to attract voters ahead of 2027.Nigeria travel guide
Despite these challenges, Ogidi maintained that the PDP remained strong and capable of overcoming its current difficulties.
He dismissed suggestions that defections, court cases and disagreements over zoning had rendered the party incapable of competing in future elections.
He said the party was focused on ensuring that its forthcoming convention was successful, describing the exercise as an important step in its preparations for the 2027 polls.
Nevertheless, the exact nature of the proposed action against Wike and other members remains unclear, pending any formal announcement by the party’s authorised organs.
The FCT minister has not been quoted in the remarks provided as responding directly to Ogidi’s latest comments.
The allegations against him should therefore be understood as the position expressed by the PDP chieftain rather than an established finding of wrongdoing.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed reports of a disagreement between its governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insisting that both sides remain committed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the reported disagreement as a ‘false battle’.
He maintained that there was no genuine conflict between the minister and members of the Progressives Governors Forum.
Morka clarified this on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television’s News Day, following Wike’s inclusion in the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
According to him, the governors and the FCT Minister share a common political objective of ensuring Tinubu’s victory in the next presidential election.
“It was a false battle to begin with. I mean, I don’t think there was any real tension between those positions because they united in their extraordinary commitment to the re-election of the president,” Morka said.
He noted that the Progressive Governors Forum comprised governors elected on the APC platform, while Wike, a former Rivers State governor, was a member of Tinubu’s cabinet and a vocal supporter of the President.
According to him, publication of the presidential campaign council list had also clarified the roles of those involved in Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
He said: “Governors, who are not of the APC, now [are] front and centre, coordinating some of our activities in their respective jurisdictions.”
Morka described the development as a new phase in Nigeria’s democratic politics, arguing that the President was bringing politicians from different parties together around a common objective.
The APC spokesperson claimed that the collaboration was unusual in a presidential system, stressing that Tinubu was transcending party differences by building a coalition of political actors to support his administration and re-election campaign.
He said: “We’re seeing a president who is transcending all of the divides and really nullifying what I call the politics of difference between these partisans and bringing them together under the same umbrella to pursue a common agenda for the good of the people.”
Salary: Fresh Update Emerges On Payment To Nigerian Workers
Obasanjo’s Son Picks Side In 2027 Race
