Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, is concluding plans to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Peter Obi, who has risen to become a phenomenal political figure in Nigeria, has lately become the darling of most big players in the political scene in Nigeria since his groundbreaking performance in the 2023 presidential election, where he defeated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his stronghold state of Lagos.
According to figures declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, scored an overall 6,101,533, coming third behind Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the keenly contested election. And in Lagos, which is considered the stronghold of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Obi scored 582,454 votes, ahead of former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu, who scored 572,606, while Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition PDP scored 75,750 votes.
ENigeria News reports that prior to the elections, Peter Obi’s campaign had called on voters to reject both the ruling party (APC) and main opposition party (PDP), which have run Africa’s most populous country for a quarter century, under whose governance he says corruption has flourished and insecurity has spread across the country.
Obi was most popular with the youth, but especially urban, relatively educated voters with access to smartphones and social media. He was, however, faced with an uphill struggle in rural areas in the north with a less sophisticated audience.
In the face of a surging economic crisis, inflation, and the rising cost of living in Nigeria, Obi’s popularity continues to soar, with many opposition leaders in Nigeria considering a coalition to possibly unseat the incumbent government come 2027.
Influential political figures like Atiku Abubakar, to whom the former Anambra governor owes his loyalty, along with other aggrieved allies who have fallen apart with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; a growing list that now includes the likes of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who announced his defection to the SDP on Monday, Bukola Saraki, and Rauf Aregbesola, who was recently suspended by the APC in Osun; and their political structure are reportedly forming an alliance that they intend to flag off under the umbrella of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Although Rabiu Kwankwaso candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) continues to weigh his options and is yet undecided whether to join the coalition or not, a close source who refused to be quoted directly confided in ENigeria News that “the coalition intends to test the potency of Peter Obi/Nasir El-Rufai’s presidential ticket in 2027, but that’s not the end game.”
The source says “all eyes are on 2031, when President Tinubu will complete his eight-year tenure and pick a successor; that’s the weak link the coalition is waiting to fully exploit, and that’s when the game will be in full play.”
Recall that on Saturday rumours were rife that Atiku Abubakar had defected to the SDP, but his media office quickly debunked the news dismissing it as both fallacious and unfounded. The media office rather noted that Atiku has persistently called for a coalition of opposition political parties in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election to oust the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Coalition Atiku stressed would accommodate all opposition parties, including the PDP.
But buttressing further on the plans of the coalition, a source in Atiku’s camp told ENigeria News correspondent in Abuja on Sunday that despite the ongoing power struggle between former Rivers State governor Nyesome Wike and Atiku, the former Vice President does not intend to run for president in 2027 but instead wants to stay in the PDP and work from within as long as the goal of unseating the current power bloc in Aso Rock led by President Tinubu is accomplished either in 2027 or 2031.
The source further added that “Atiku is consulting and has been wooing all key players within the APC, PDP, and Labour Party, including influential persons like Kenneth Okonkwo, who visited him weeks ago, along with other persons he considers could be instrumental to a successful coalition.
During the last closed-door meeting held between Peter Obi, Atiku, and El-Rufai, Obi was reportedly briefed about the plans, which he was said to have supported, but requested more time to consult with key members of his Obedient Movement, which this newspaper understands may be pulling out of the Labour Party soon.
Meanwhile, there are indications that with El-Rufai off his hand, President Tinubu is fast losing grip of the north and, as a result, is seeking a replacement with another strong political figure who can hold forth his penetration of the north as the bid for a second term is already in play.
ENigeria News reports that the permutation of the Atiku-led Coalition is that since Obi’s popularity in the South has been proven at the 2023 polls, El-Rufai, who is also fairly popular within the Northern region, would complement the ticket and make for a stringer opposition against Tinubu in 2027.
