Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has clarified that no merger agreements have been made with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), or any other political group.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the former Anambra State governor addressed the state of the nation, emphasizing the need for unity among Nigerians committed to rescuing the country from what he described as mismanagement under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“There is no agreement yet with any party,” Obi stated, calling on all patriotic Nigerians in the political sphere to collaborate in 2027 to challenge the APC, which he accused of mismanaging the nation’s resources.
Obi highlighted the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, lamenting the loss of innocent lives due to banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping-for-ransom. He described the high level of corruption and the cost of governance under the current administration as alarming, pointing to a sharp increase in public debt and government officials’ misuse of public funds through excessive foreign travels in 2024.
In the 2023 presidential race, APC’s Bola Tinubu emerged victorious, winning in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states and securing 8,794,726 votes—nearly two million more than his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
Atiku, a veteran presidential contender with six runs under his belt, garnered 6,984,520 votes. Obi, contesting for the first time, made a historic showing with 6,101,533 votes, while NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, placed fourth with 1,496,687 votes, winning only in Kano.
Interestingly, both Obi and Kwankwaso were PDP members before the 2023 elections but left the party due to irreconcilable differences.
While there have been speculations about opposition parties uniting to present a formidable challenge to the APC, Obi clarified that discussions are ongoing but no concrete arrangements have been finalized.
As the political landscape begins to take shape ahead of 2027, Obi urged all stakeholders to prioritize national interest and work collectively to address the country’s pressing challenges.
