A former Director-General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Akin Osuntokun, weighed in on the potential return of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He stated that Obi would only consider returning to the PDP if he were offered the presidential ticket. Osuntokun’s response came following recent remarks by the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, expressing his willingness to support Obi should the party decide to zone the presidential ticket to the South-East in 2027.
He emphasized Obi’s significant support base in the last general elections, noting that for Obi to contemplate rejoining the PDP, assurances and circumstances must align, particularly with regards to the party’s political influencers.
He stated, “Peter Obi going back to the PDP would have to depend on the circumstances and the assurances from the political godfathers of the PDP.”
Osuntokun highlighted Obi’s unique political appeal and the potential repercussions of assuming a lesser role within the party, stating, “That’s because Obi has a unique political appeal among Nigerians. If it’s possible to do it like the way they do in the United States by analyzing the demographic groups that support each candidate, we would find a situation in which Obi carried about 90 per cent of the youth population.”
He concluded that the only scenario in which Obi would consider returning to the PDP is if he were offered the party’s presidential ticket, as any other position would risk alienating his considerable support base and undermining his political standing.