The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has openly admitted that it is making concerted efforts to bring back former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, into its fold.
This confirmation came from the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who described Obi as a valuable political asset capable of boosting the party’s electoral chances if reunited with the platform.
Speaking on Arise Television, Abdullahi praised Obi’s performance in the 2023 elections, where he garnered over six million votes across the country, despite what he described as “massive rigging” and “deliberate frustration” of his chances in many states.
“Peter Obi is our product. We want to get him back, indeed, because he is a very, very great capital for any political party,” Abdullahi declared.
He continued, “If he had not gone the way he did in the last dispensation and had not faced the institutional obstacles that were placed in his path, we are confident he would have performed even better. That he was still able to command over six million votes shows he is not a candidate to ignore.”
Obi, who ran under the Labour Party in 2023 after dumping the PDP just before the party primaries, finished third in the highly contested election, trailing behind Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and the eventual winner, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. His strong showing among young voters and urban populations has since cemented his place as one of Nigeria’s most influential opposition figures.
Abdullahi admitted that Obi’s decision to leave the PDP for Labour Party was a major setback for the party at the time, but said his exit did not diminish the respect and recognition he still commands within the PDP family.
“Every political party that gets the opportunity to have him will be at an advantage. And certainly, PDP is not giving up on that effort,” Abdullahi added.
He stated that the PDP is currently engaged in ongoing internal consultations and long-term strategic planning aimed at unifying opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections, and bringing Obi back is part of that wider calculation.
In the fullness of time, we believe we might get him back. It will be a big boost to the PDP,” he said.
The PDP’s overture comes amid rising calls from some political stakeholders and civil society groups urging Nigeria’s opposition parties to form a grand alliance ahead of the next presidential election cycle. Some political commentators argue that only a unified front can mount a credible challenge to the APC, which has retained power at the centre since 2015.
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