Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has declared that he will only support a merger that aims to improve Nigeria and not one solely focused on seeking power.
This statement was made by the Chief Spokesperson of Obi-Datti and Director of the Media for the Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, during an interview on Channels Television on Monday.
Amidst reports of a potential merger between Obi and other political leaders to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Tanko emphasized Obi’s commitment to alliances that prioritize Nigeria’s welfare.
“His Excellency, Peter Gregory, is not interested in a merger that is only for the interest of seeking power,” Tanko stated. “He is interested in a merger that will bring Nigerians out of the poverty level, bringing the Nigerian people to a comfortable state of health care, ensuring they have potable drinking water, and solving the problem of power supply.”
Tanko clarified that any merger involving Obi would be meticulously scrutinized to ensure alignment with these values. “He is interested strongly in a merger that is driven by ideology and a programme. But if it’s only for power, he is not interested,” he added.
The speculation about a merger intensified after Obi met with Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in 2023, to discuss national issues. This meeting sparked rumours of a possible alliance between the two former presidential candidates.
However, former House of Representatives member Tajudeen Yusuf expressed scepticism about the merger. “They have worked together before in 2019. It would not be out of place if they worked together again. I am not in their minds, but I don’t see the possibility,” Yusuf said. He cited Atiku’s recent comments about his intention to continue contesting presidential elections.
“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar came out to say he will continue to contest as long as he’s alive and healthy,” Yusuf noted. “To me, that was to send a signal to those, especially the media, who were running with the notion that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar might step down and shelve his political ambition for Peter. But the follow-up statement a week later clarified that.”
Given these dynamics, Yusuf suggested that both Obi and Atiku are likely to contest the 2027 elections independently, making talks of a merger challenging.
As President Bola Tinubu marks his one year in office, the political landscape continues to evolve, with potential alliances and strategies shaping the future of Nigerian politics.