2027: Why PDP Should Talk to Peter Obi, Others – Olafeso

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member of its reconciliation committee, Eddy Olafeso, has called on the party to initiate discussions with Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and other opposition figures to form a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Olafeso stressed that a united opposition is the only viable strategy to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. He argued that no single party could successfully challenge the APC alone, emphasizing the need for political alliances similar to those seen in other countries, including Ghana.

Obi, who was previously a PDP member before switching to the Labour Party, secured 6,101,533 votes in the 2023 election, finishing third, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Despite this, many of his supporters believe he was unfairly denied victory, though no concrete evidence has substantiated these claims.

Olafeso underscored that the PDP must reach out to all influential political figures to build a formidable front. “Not only Peter Obi, every person that is somebody in this country that can actually garner one or two votes must be spoken with,” he stated.

He also criticized the PDP leadership for failing to maintain party unity before the 2023 election, arguing that a combined effort between Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi could have prevented Bola Tinubu’s victory. Olafeso lamented the internal divisions that weakened the party and called for a renewed focus on coalition-building to strengthen the opposition ahead of the next election cycle.