The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed it is actively working to reintegrate Peter Obi, the former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, back into its ranks.
This confirmation came from the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, during an appearance on Arise Television.
Abdullahi described Obi as a major political asset, noting the party’s desire to reabsorb him ahead of future electoral contests.
“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 stated.
He praised Obi’s performance in the 2023 general elections, where he secured more than six million votes nationwide despite what Abdullahi alleged was widespread electoral malpractice.
“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 left the PDP just before its presidential primaries to join the Labour Party, ultimately finished third in the election.
He trailed Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner. However, Obi’s strong appeal particularly among young voters and urban populations has established him as one of Nigeria’s most influential opposition figures.
Abdullahi acknowledged that Obi’s defection to the Labour Party was a serious blow to the PDP, but emphasized that it had not erased the respect he still commands within the party.
“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,” he said.
According to Abdullahi, the PDP is currently engaged in internal consultations and long-term strategic planning aimed at unifying opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said Obi’s return fits squarely into that broader plan.
“In the fullness of time, we believe we might get him back. It will be a big boost to the PDP,” Abdullahi added.
The PDP’s overtures come as calls grow louder from political commentators and civil society organizations for Nigeria’s opposition parties to form a grand coalition ahead of the next presidential election.
Many believe that only a united opposition can effectively challenge the APC, which has held power since 2015.
