Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, has explained why he paid what close allies termed as “private visits” to top PDP officials yesterday.
Former Vice President and PDP Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido were among those who visited.
But Obi’s visit to these leaders has raised questions about future plans of Nigeria’s main opposition parties, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku
Recall that Atiku first announced Obi’s visit on his social media handle. He informed his followers that the former LP standard bearer paid him a visit. Atiku noted that he was always delighted to receive him.
Peter Obi, the former Anambra State governor was Atiku’s running mate on the PDP presidential ticket during the 2019 general elections.
However, they lost to former President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
But details of yesterday’s meetings are yet to be made public.
Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that discussions about the need for the opposition to form a common front, ahead of 2027, featured prominently.
Atiku had, at various fora, harped on the need for the opposition to unite. According to him, it remains the only way to rid the nation of the current hardship imposed by the President Ahmed Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration.
Contacted, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, said: “The meeting was held behind closed doors. But we haven’t been briefed.”
Peter Obi
However, Obi’s media aide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, explained the visits in a statement. This came barely an hour after Obi’s separate meetings.
He explained that “the state of the nation and the plight of the poor” inspired the visits.
Tanko said: “Mr. Peter Obi has continued to live up to his expressed commitment to the peace and progress of the nation.”
Aso, he added: “His abiding devotion is to the emergence of a Nigeria that works for all its peoples and where the people are quickly pulled out of poverty.”