Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has dismissed speculations suggesting he is planning to defect to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification was made on Monday by Yunusa Tanko, Interim National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, during an appearance on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief. Tanko emphasized that Obi remains committed to the Labour Party.
“As far as I am concerned, His Excellency, Peter Obi, is a member of the Labour Party. It remains so until when there is any other thing that may come up,”
The statement follows comments by SDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, who claimed Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had initiated talks about joining the party. SDP’s National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, also alleged that Obi’s associates were lobbying the SDP in preparation for the next election cycle.
Further fueling the speculation, Peter Ahmeh, National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), confirmed that political discussions are ongoing. According to him, a proposed single-term agreement for a southern presidential candidate is among the considerations.
“Peter Obi and some other southern aspirants are involved. I believe that the decision will be reached in the next few weeks,”
Tanko also addressed internal developments within the Labour Party, revealing that a crucial meeting of party leaders is expected this week. The agenda includes responding to the recent Supreme Court ruling, which nullified Julius Abure’s position as the LP National Chairman.
“There is going to be a meeting possibly within the week… to make fundamental positions clear to everyone, in line with the Supreme Court ruling,”
This wave of political maneuvering comes just weeks after a major coalition movement was unveiled on March 20, involving Atiku, Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The alliance, seen as a strategic move to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration in 2027, followed El-Rufai’s dramatic exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP on March 10.
