Not long ago, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi, who later joined the Labour Party from the PDP had the chance to refly the 2019 joint ticket but it was never to be.
The PDP also had former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musas Kwankwaso before he decamped to the now troubled New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) where he became the candidate for the 2023 election.
Political pundits have blamed that split for the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) when put against the votes the trio got in the election.
Atiku secured 6, 984, 520 votes while Peter Obi and Kwankwaso scored 6, 101, 533 and 1, 496, 687 votes respectively as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Leaders in the three political parties like their candidates have been of the opinion that having scored in excess of 15m votes to the eventual winner’s 8,794,720, APC would have lost the election if they had banded under one political party.
Atiku was the first to realise that that lack of oneness had heralded the defeat of the opposition when he stated after the Supreme Court gave its final ruling on the election that all opposition political parties must unite against the APC in future elections.
Atiku had told the National Executive Committee of the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC) of the importance of protecting our democracy” urging IPAC “to rally opposition parties to form a stronger front against this threat.”
Since the 2023 call, none of the candidates in that year’s election had given any consideration to Atiku’s admonition until the move by Peter Obi on Monday during his visit to Atiku’s home in Abuja.
Obi also visited former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, a strong Atiku political ally, who has been pushing for the alliance before visiting a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who has been tipped to become the National Chairman of the PDP.
Highly regarded in the party, the cerebral former governor of Kwara State, is seen as the new face of the PDP and has been leading reconciliation moves and bidding to bring back under the umbrella bigwigs that have left the party.
Again, Lamido quickly visited Saraki after Peter Obi’s visit but none of the parties issued any official statement.
But one of the spokespersons of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Council (POPCC) for the 2023 election revealed what discussion was held with Atiku.
The spokesperson, who revealed the conversation via a telephone chat with NewsNGR stated that “PO (Peter Obi) said he visited Atiku and others he shared political relationships with because Nigerians are suffering.
“He explained to me that everyone needs to come together to help suffering Nigerians because the suffering is becoming unbearable.
“One thing PO clearly told me and emphasised was that he is ready to make sacrifices for the good at the opposition but that merger is not the primary focus as the election of 2027 is still far away.
“But he said he would not shy away from anything that will move Nigeria forward on the basis of the power relations among the opposition political parties and how to face the next election having realised what happened in 2023, noting that, yes, a split harmed the party but that the focus now is to help Nigerians.”
When pressed if the “sacrifice” Peter Obi referred to in his statement meant reverting to a likely Vice Presidential position under the PDP, the spokesperson declared, “I would think so but he didn’t put it succinctly. PO I believe meant anything that would secure victory in 2027 under one party for the opposition.”
Who Steps Down — Atiku Abubakar Or Peter Obi?
The major concern of supporters of the three political heavyweights is: Who steps down — Atiku with his strong political clout and experience, or Peter Obi with his movement that appears increasingly invigorated by the Obidients movement and bolstered by his ideas?
The spokesman of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, while reacting to the meeting, told NewsNGR during a telephone conversation that, “To start with, I was not privy to their (Atiku and Obi’s) meeting so I can’t state what the meeting was.
“Secondly, our position remains the same; you may refer to our statement issued late last year on this merger talk.”
In the statement issued in December 2023, distancing the PDP from merger and coalition talks, Ologunagba had argued that, “The PDP is the most organised and democratic party eager to exist in Nigeria till this day.”
He pointed out that, “In any case, if there is to be any such discussion, it is beyond the powers of the National Working Committee (NWC) to do so without the express consent of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of our great party.
“Every community in Nigeria has a functional PDP office. We are a party of due process, we don’t take actions without following our laid down guidelines, procedures and processes
“Most Nigerians know we won the 2019 and the 2023 elections and everyone knows what happened. We are in the process of rebuilding and strengthening our party to defend our hard won democracy.”
He said he stands by the statement, emphasising that if there’s any merger talk, the PDP has the upper hand and cannot be bullied or coerced by any party due to its spread and size.
But Nana Kazaure, one of the spokespersons of the Peter Obi Presidential Council in the last election disagreed, telling NewsNGR that “Atiku should step down for Peter Obi. He (Atiku) is elderly, and I believe Nigerians have told him, time and time again, that we don’t want him.
“Not that we don’t love him, not that we don’t want what he brings to the table, his experience for example, his persona…the error that he has made, he is the kind of person that should now be a teacher.
“He is the kind of person that would not lead the next generation. He is not in the league of the next generation of what Nigerians are looking for. The baton has passed him by.
“It would be wise for Obi (to be the candidate); and if Atiku is a democrat and I believe he loves Nigeria, it is about time for him to reflect on the journey in the last year.
“The best thing for him to do is to be statemanly to allow a younger person, that has this following, that is a beacon of hope for a younger generation coming behind to be the candidate. And that cap fits Peter Obi.”
Also, the former lead speaker for the POPCC, Mr Yunusa Tanko, told NewsNGR that “Merger or who steps down for who is not our template of discussion.
“The target is how can we move Nigerians out of poverty collectively.”
But Frank Tietie, a lawyer and public affairs analyst, said, notwithstanding Peter Obi’s popularity and his movement, “Atiku should be the candidate” of a merged opposition political party.
He asserted that “the merger of opposition parties will defeat the APC and Tinubu (Bola, the president).
However, Deji Adeyanju, a lawyer and human rights crusader, deferred, noting that, “The so-called merger talk is an exercise in futility. They cannot challenge President Bola Tinubu let alone defeat him.
“They had their chance in the last election, it was theirs for their taking yet they bungled it big time, and they will forever live to regret it.
“This was what I called for in the last election but their supporters called me all manners of names and even threatened me all because of political differences.”