- He stated that meeting could be a launchpad for the possible alliance in the build-up to the 2027 general elections
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has hinted that an alliance of major political parties and influential politicians is in the work ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku, who was the presidential candidate for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, disclosed that his recent meeting with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, is a sign of positive things to come.
Speaking during an interview with the BBC on Friday, he stated that meeting could be a launchpad for the possible alliance in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
Within Nigeria had reported that Atiku Abubakar met with the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election Peter Obi, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido in separate visits earlier last week.
He said their meeting bode well for democratic governance in Nigeria while implying a possible alliance between the opposition parties. He also debunked assertions that they couldn’t produce a consensus candidate.
He also said he would happily back a presidential candidate of South East extraction if the PDP zone its presidential ticket to the region.
Peter Obi is from the South East and, with the speculation of his imminent return to the PDP following his meeting with Atiku and other bigwig of the party rife, he is likely to clinch the ticket should the party decides to narrow down its look for a presidential candidate to the south east.
Speaking further on consensus candidate, Atiku stated that should the PDP members unanimously agree on zoning PDP’s presidential candidate to South East, he will abide by it.
“I’ve made it clear since last elections that if our party members had a consensus that southeast should produce the candidate, we would all agree. And if our parties also had a similar agreement, then so be it,’’ Atiku said.
Last week, Paul Ibe, media adviser to Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, says Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), frustrated and sabotaged plans by the PDP to zone its presidential ticket to the south east for the 2023 election.
He said the move effectively led to Peter Obi’s exit from the party.
The media adviser said that Atiku was willing to let go his presidential aspiration on the condition that the presidency was micro-zoned to the southeast region where Obi hails from.