The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has dismissed claims that he has entered into a political alliance with former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi’s media aide and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, made the clarification in an interview with The PUNCH. He said there was no agreement between Obi and Jonathan to work together against President Bola Tinubu.
“My principal and the former president have a very good working relationship and they know each other very well. So seeing them talk to each other does not mean anything. It should not be translated to mean anything other than a platonic discussion on how to move this country forward,” Tanko said.
Tanko added that there was no conversation about 2027 during their recent meetings.
“I don’t think there’s anything more than that. No discussion or pact around 2027. Even when they met in Ghana, I was there. So there was nothing like that,” he said.
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His statement follows growing speculation after a closed-door meeting between Obi and Jonathan in Abuja last month. The meeting sparked rumours of a possible alliance among opposition leaders ahead of the next presidential election.
Obi had described Jonathan as his “elder brother, a statesman, and leader” after their meeting on September 11, saying their discussions were “fruitful” and focused on the state of the nation.
However, neither of them revealed the details of the conversation.
The development has stirred debate among opposition supporters, with many urging either Obi or Jonathan to step aside for the other to strengthen their chances against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, has in recent years played the role of a respected African statesman, mediating in political crises across the continent.
Meanwhile, Obi continues to hold consultations and meetings nationwide — moves that many observers see as early preparation for another presidential run in 2027.