Fresh details have emerged regarding a closed-door meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and former presidential candidate Peter Obi, held on Thursday, as both leaders explore strategies for a possible coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Obi disclosed insights about the engagement on his Facebook and X pages, describing it as part of an ongoing conversation with Jonathan. Sources confirmed that this was the third or fourth meeting between the two since Easter, though previous discussions were kept private.
According to insiders, the main agenda revolves around the need for a unified opposition front and whether one of the two leaders should step down to back the other as a coalition candidate.
“They know they cannot afford to approach the next election independently,” a source told Daily Trust. “Obi drew most of his 2023 votes from the South, especially the South East, South South, and parts of the Middle Belt—areas that were Jonathan’s strongholds in 2011.”
The source added that while PDP leaders have been urging Jonathan to contest under the party’s platform, he has remained cautious due to the party’s lingering internal crisis.
Another insider noted that Obi’s camp has expressed concern about being sidelined within any coalition, pointing out that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has yet to convince the Obidient Movement that it is structured to deliver credible opposition.
Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election, is widely expected to contest again in 2027, though he has yet to formally leave the Labour Party or officially declare for the ADC.
Meanwhile, calls have continued for Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid in 2015, to return to the race, though he has not publicly addressed the speculation.
