Fresh political realignments appear to be underway ahead of the 2027 general elections, with strong indications that former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is seriously considering a return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This possible political homecoming is linked to the intensified peace and reconciliation efforts being led by former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who heads a committee tasked with resolving the PDP’s lingering internal crisis.
One of the committee’s most notable achievements so far could be persuading Obi, a key opposition figure, to rejoin the party he left in 2022.
Obi, who served as the running mate to PDP’s Atiku Abubakar during the 2019 presidential election, defected to the Labour Party in 2022 after the PDP controversially failed to uphold its zoning policy, which would have ceded the presidential ticket to the South.
His departure spurred the birth of the “Obidient Movement” — a largely youth-led political crusade that played a significant role in his strong showing in the 2023 election, where he finished third behind Atiku and President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite being part of an opposition coalition that recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a fallback platform, Obi has remained silent about leaving the Labour Party, insisting he is still a member.
However, emerging developments within the PDP, particularly its reported decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South, have revived talks of his potential return.
Dr. Katchy Ononuju, a close ally of Obi and his former Special Adviser on Public Affairs, confirmed that discussions are ongoing between Obi and PDP stakeholders. Speaking with Daily Post, Ononuju emphasized that the PDP’s failure to respect zoning principles in 2022 was the catalyst for Obi’s exit and the movement that followed.
“The foundational reason we left the PDP was because they refused to zone the presidency to the South after eight years of Buhari,” Ononuju stated. “Now, the party has agreed to zone to the South — they made that announcement last week at the NAF Conference Centre — and many of their leaders have been talking to Peter Obi.”
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According to him, Obi held a closed-door meeting with former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, over the weekend as part of ongoing consultations. Ononuju also addressed disagreements within the opposition, noting that some actors, including Kenneth Okonkwo, were never part of the original PDP-rooted youth movement.
“We are not fighting any individual, but we are principled about zoning,” he added. “If the PDP has now agreed to zone the presidency to the South, there’s no reason not to return and rebuild the party.”
Ononuju also noted that Obi’s possible return to the PDP could spell the collapse of the ADC within the opposition alliance, describing the ADC as a temporary platform with little grassroots presence.
“The moment we settle on a credible platform, the ADC will collapse. It only came into focus because PDP failed to zone earlier. But now that the PDP has corrected that, it’s only logical for the ADC to consider merging back with PDP,” he said.
He further claimed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s reported interest in alternative structures like the ADC was triggered by mounting pressure from Southern governors demanding adherence to the zoning formula.
Ononuju also said the internal wounds within the PDP, especially those caused by internal factions and actors like Nyesom Wike, can still be healed if genuine efforts are made to reestablish party unity.
“If we return to the PDP, we can make peace and rebuild the party. Structures are human-driven. With time, we can reposition the PDP for 2027 and offer Nigerians a united and credible alternative,” he concluded.
While Peter Obi himself is yet to publicly confirm any decisions, these developments mark a significant turning point in Nigeria’s opposition landscape.
The coming months could determine whether the PDP regains its lost momentum — possibly with one of its most popular former members leading the charge.