As the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections continues to heat up, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be looking to field two familiar heavyweights in its presidential race former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Labour Party candidate Peter Obi.
Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, disclosed on Tuesday that negotiations are ongoing to bring both men back into the PDP fold to strengthen the party’s chances against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s flagship programme Politics Today, Senator Moro confirmed that conversations are actively taking place with stakeholders close to both Jonathan and Obi.
“So, in the run-up to 2027, I am aware certain individuals have been talking to Peter Obi, ‘Hey, come back home, this is what we are likely to do, and if you come, you stand a chance of being the candidate,’” he said.
On Jonathan, Moro noted that some PDP leaders are reaching out to the former president to encourage him to contest.
“Some persons are talking to the former president to come and run. It is a possibility,” he added.
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan served as Nigeria’s president between 2010 and 2015 under the PDP.
He assumed office following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, later winning the 2011 election.
Jonathan made history in 2015 when he became the first incumbent president to lose an election since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, conceding defeat to Muhammadu Buhari.
Since then, Jonathan has largely kept a low political profile, avoiding open participation in PDP activities.
Nonetheless, calls for his return to active politics have resurfaced as the 2027 elections approach.
Although he has not declared his ambition or ruled out the possibility, Jonathan also has not renounced his PDP membership.
Unlike Jonathan, Peter Obi has had a more visible political presence in recent years.
A former governor of Anambra State, Obi was the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in 2019, running alongside Atiku Abubakar.
In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Obi resigned from the PDP, defected to the Labour Party (LP), and became its presidential flag bearer.
His campaign drew massive support, especially among Nigeria’s youths and urban voters, giving rise to what became known as the “Obidient Movement.”
Despite his momentum, Obi came third in the 2023 presidential race, securing over six million votes.
He was defeated by President Bola Tinubu of the APC, with Atiku Abubakar of the PDP coming second.
Currently, Obi has aligned with opposition leaders including Atiku under a coalition platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Though he has signaled his intention to run again in 2027, it remains unclear whether he will do so under the ADC, the LP, or potentially return to the PDP.
The PDP’s moves to court Jonathan and Obi come amid internal debates on its 2023 election strategy.
Some party leaders, including Senator Moro, have described the decision to field Atiku Abubakar again as a “strategic mistake” that weakened the party’s chances.
Political analysts suggest that Jonathan’s statesmanship and Obi’s mass youth appeal could provide the PDP with a stronger, more unifying ticket in 2027, should either of them accept the invitation.
With less than two years until Nigerians head to the polls, the PDP faces a tough challenge in presenting a formidable alternative to the APC.
The ongoing talks with Obi and Jonathan underscore the intensifying power realignments in Nigeria’s opposition politics.
Neither Jonathan nor Obi has publicly reacted to the reports, leaving the PDP and the electorate waiting for clarity in the months ahead.
