2027: Obi meets Jonathan behind closed doors in Abuja as consultations gather momentum

The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Thursday met with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, in what many observers see as part of the widening consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi, who disclosed the meeting on his official X handle, described Jonathan as an “elder brother, statesman, and leader,” noting that their conversation was focused on national issues and the state of the country.

“Today in Abuja, I met with my very dear elder brother, statesman, and leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan @GEJonathan. We had a fruitful closed-door meeting and discussed the state of our dear nation,” Obi wrote.

While he did not disclose details, the meeting has fuelled fresh speculation about political realignments before 2027. Both men have, at different times, been linked to possible presidential bids, with Jonathan’s name featuring in PDP permutations and Obi regarded as a rallying figure for disenchanted voters and opposition blocs.

Jonathan, who governed Nigeria between 2010 and 2015, has in recent months stepped up his interventions on governance and democracy, holding private meetings with key political players across party lines. Obi, meanwhile, has been on nationwide engagements since the 2023 elections, repeatedly stressing the need for leadership that can tackle insecurity, unemployment, and economic hardship.

Political analysts suggest that their Abuja parley could be an early signal of possible cooperation or alignment between PDP heavyweights and Labour Party loyalists in the face of President Bola Tinubu’s consolidation of power. With the main opposition parties weakened by internal divisions, observers say alliances will be crucial in mounting a credible challenge in 2027.

Though neither Jonathan nor Obi has made their electoral intentions clear, Thursday’s meeting adds to the growing wave of behind-the-scenes consultations shaping Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the next presidential race.