There are indications that former President Goodluck Jonathan and Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, may soon reach a settlement on ongoing discussions aimed at forging a united opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The two leaders held a closed-door meeting on Thursday, details of which were shared by Obi on his official X handle.
Sources familiar with the development told Daily Trust that the engagement was a continuation of earlier conversations between Jonathan and Obi on the permutations for 2027.
One of the sources disclosed that both men acknowledged sharing the same political base and agreed that running separate bids could hand President Bola Tinubu an easy path to re-election.
“This is the third or fourth time they’ve met since around Easter, but all the previous meetings were kept under wraps,” the source revealed. “The crux has been who should step down for the other as the coalition’s presidential candidate.
“You know the bulk of the votes Obi secured in 2023 came from the South, particularly the South East and South South, and also the traditional Middlebelt, which had also been Jonathan’s stronghold in 2011. They realised they cannot afford to approach the next election independently.”
The source further disclosed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been wooing Jonathan to return as its presidential candidate, but he remains cautious due to the party’s unresolved internal crisis.
“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.
Meanwhile, another insider said Obi’s camp has raised concerns about being sidelined in the coalition they helped build.
“The ADC has not been able to fully convince the Obidient Movement that the party was not structured to deliver an Atiku presidency,” the source said.