Barely two weeks to the first full year in office of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there is frenzy on and offline about the possible reproachment between Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and other opposition stalwarts.
The Presidential candidate of the Labor Party in the 2023 general elections caused a buzz when he was pictured shaking hands with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the latter’s residence. As the big political masquerades grab the attention of their audience, inquisitive Nigerians are convinced the handshakes and back patting are solely about the 2027 Presidential contests. Obi’s campaign team has had more explaining to do.
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The team provided insights into its principal’s recent meeting with prominent figures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja. Obi had a strategic encounter with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, marking his first engagement with former political allies since his defection from the PDP to the LP in May 2022.
The meeting, which occurred on Monday, attracted attention given the political dynamics at play. It followed assertions by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, alleging that Obi’s departure from the PDP was orchestrated by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, due to Wike’s own political aspirations. Ibe made these claims during an appearance on the influential online political platform, Mic On Podcast, last Saturday.
In an exclusive conversation with The PUNCH, Yunusa Tanko, the Chief Spokesperson for Obi’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, shed light on the purpose behind the closed-door discussions with PDP stalwarts. Tanko emphasized that the meeting centered on devising strategies to liberate Nigeria from the grip of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and reclaim the nation’s essence.
This gathering signifies a crucial moment in Nigeria’s political landscape, reflecting the complexities and alliances shaping the upcoming elections. As the nation navigates through challenging times, such dialogues hold significance in shaping its future trajectory.
He said, “I am not privy to their meetings. But what you are seeing are some of the long discussions we have had a long time ago. It is part of the discussions and efforts to battle for the soul of Nigeria.
“It is not a surprising thing for Obi to meet some of his political allies to discuss the situation of the country. That is the few I can say for now.”
Regarding the likelihood of Obi joining the PDP again or the potential for the Labour Party and PDP to unify, Tanko stated that these discussions would merely stay hypothetical.
“Well, not really. Those are the permutations of individuals. I don’t want to dwell on that. But this is still an ongoing discussion. His destination will reveal itself later. Some of these discussions (Obi returning to PDP) are offshoots of what has been happening since the last election.
“We need to wait and see how these discussions pan out. Let’s hope they bring a positive outcome in the long run,” he said.
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A formal statement titled “State of the Nation and Plight of the Poor: Obi visits Atiku, Saraki, and Lamido” was issued by Obi’s media staff. validated Tanko’s prior belief that Obi is committed to discussing the necessity of unseating the incumbent APC with almost all of his political supporters.
The statement read, “The 2023 Presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has continued to live up to his expressed commitment to the peace and progress of the nation. His abiding devotion is to the emergence of a Nigeria that works for all its people and where the people are quickly pulled out of poverty.
“Worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top Nigerians, among whom are former Vice President, and PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, and the Former Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido.
“At the centre of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location. In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted. Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the Northern parts of the country.”
