The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, stirring renewed speculation about potential political realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Obi, who disclosed the meeting in a post on his official X handle, described Jonathan as his “elder brother, a statesman, and leader,” noting that their conversation focused on Nigeria’s current challenges.
“Today in Abuja, I met with my very dear elder brother, statesman, and leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan. We had a fruitful closed-door meeting and discussed the state of our dear nation,” Obi wrote.
While details of their discussion were not made public, the development comes amid growing debates over Nigeria’s political direction and governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Jonathan, who led Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, has in recent years positioned himself as a respected mediator on national and continental issues, particularly in conflict resolution and efforts to strengthen democracy across Africa.
Obi, meanwhile, has continued engaging key political stakeholders following his strong showing in the 2023 elections, where he finished third behind Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The meeting is the latest in Obi’s series of consultations with influential political figures as discussions about Nigeria’s future political landscape intensify. Attempts to obtain clarification from Obi’s former campaign spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko, and leaders of the Obidient Movement were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.
Thursday’s meeting has further fueled speculation that the groundwork for a new political coalition may be taking shape. Talk of Jonathan’s possible return to active politics has also intensified since the PDP zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
There have been reports that the PDP has been quietly courting Obi to return to the party, viewing him as a major force capable of mounting a formidable challenge against President Tinubu in 2027.