The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed it is actively working to bring former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, back into its ranks.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, made this known during an interview on Arise Television, describing Obi as a “very, very great capital” whose return could significantly bolster the party’s prospects in future elections.
“Peter Obi is our product. We want to get him back, indeed, because he is a very, very great capital for any political party,” Abdullahi stated.
He praised Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election, where the Labour Party candidate secured over six million votes nationwide despite what Abdullahi described as “massive rigging” and “deliberate frustration” of his campaign efforts in several states.
“If he had not gone the way he did in the last dispensation and had not faced the institutional obstacles that were placed in his path, we are confident he would have performed even better. That he was still able to command over six million votes shows he is not a candidate to ignore,” Abdullahi noted.
Obi, who left the PDP shortly before the party’s 2022 presidential primaries to join the Labour Party, emerged as a third-force candidate and finished third in the 2023 election behind Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. His strong support base, particularly among youths and urban voters, has since solidified his position as a major figure in the country’s opposition politics.
Abdullahi acknowledged that Obi’s departure dealt a significant blow to the PDP’s 2023 campaign but emphasized that the party still holds him in high regard.
“Every political party that gets the opportunity to have him will be at an advantage. And certainly, PDP is not giving up on that effort,” he said.
He further revealed that the PDP is currently engaged in internal consultations and strategic planning aimed at uniting opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections—with the return of Peter Obi forming part of that broader agenda.
“In the fullness of time, we believe we might get him back. It will be a big boost to the PDP,” Abdullahi added.
The PDP’s renewed outreach to Obi comes amid mounting calls from political analysts and civil society groups for opposition parties to form a grand alliance to present a formidable challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which has held federal power since 2015.
