The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disclosed that efforts are underway to bring back former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, into the party.
Speaking on Arise News on Thursday night, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, described Obi as a “product of the PDP” and “a political asset” any serious party would desire.
Abdullahi stated that Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election—despite alleged rigging and electoral irregularities—proved his political relevance, adding that the PDP would benefit immensely from having him back in its fold.
“Peter Obi is our product, and the PDP indeed wants to get him back. He is a very great capital for any political party, and any political party that will have him will be to their advantage,” Abdullahi said.
He further noted, “The truth of the matter is that if he had not gone the way he did in the last dispensation and proved that mettle to generate over six million votes, despite the rigging and frustration of his chances in many states, it shows Peter Obi is truly a political capital. No doubt about it.”
Peter Obi, who was the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in 2019, left the party in 2022 during the buildup to the 2023 elections.
He defected to the Labour Party, secured its presidential ticket, and went on to win 12 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Though he finished third behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Obi’s political movement—widely supported by Nigerian youths and urban voters—shook the traditional two-party structure in the country.
Obi has since remained a member of the Labour Party but has recently aligned himself with a broader coalition of political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform, aimed at forming a unified opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Despite Obi’s involvement in the new coalition, the PDP leadership remains optimistic about his return.
Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential flagbearer in the 2019 and 2023 elections, officially announced his resignation from the party earlier this week.
He cited persistent internal crises and lack of strategic direction as key reasons for his departure.
Atiku is currently playing a leading role in the formation of the coalition that seeks to unseat the APC government in 2027 through a consolidated political alliance.
The moves by both Obi and Atiku have triggered realignments within the opposition space, while the PDP appears to be working on repositioning itself to remain relevant ahead of the next election cycle.
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