Closed-door Talks: Peter Obi Confers With Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja

In Abuja on Thursday, former President Goodluck Jonathan met behind closed doors with Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential contender.
Peter Obi published information on his X account that the two leaders’ meeting took place behind closed doors.

Their conversations, he continued, were productive and centered on the situation in Nigeria.

In Abuja today, I had a meeting with my beloved older brother, former President Goodluck Jonathan @GEJonathan, who is a gentleman and leader. The situation of our beloved country was the topic of our productive private discussion,” Obi stated.

According to reports, the two are meeting amid speculation that Jonathan is thinking about a 2027 presidential bid.

Prior to the 2027 presidential election, Jonathan’s supporters reportedly started contacting opposition leaders, such as Peter Obi of the Labour Party, in an attempt to build a broad coalition capable of opposing President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoning its presidential ticket to the South and the APC hierarchy already supporting Tinubu for reelection, the 2027 election is becoming increasingly a Southern struggle.

Party officials told Vanguard that Jonathan has been under increasing pressure to enter the race, especially from Northern PDP leaders.

After Obi defected to the LP in 2022 and became the presidential flagbearer, a number of PDP leaders had also urged him to rejoin the party before Jonathan’s name reappeared.

As a fervent opponent of the Tinubu administration, Obi is also supporting the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, which includes a number of well-known individuals, such as former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, former Senate President David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

When asked over and over again if he would join the ADC or rejoin the PDP, Obi insisted that he was dedicated to “any move that will save the country from the APC.”

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Amaechi are among the other Southern politicians who are allegedly considering a confrontation with Tinubu.

Vanguard was informed on Sunday by sources that Jonathan’s team had initiated exploratory discussions with prominent contenders, such as Obi, requesting that he resign in favor of the former president.