2027: Talks on Peter Obi's return to PDP begin amid mass defection

Former Anambra State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dan Ulasi, has called on the party’s leadership to reach out to former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, urging his return in preparation for the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Ulasi described Obi as a “factor of progress” and stressed the need for the PDP to prioritise capable leadership over party politics.

“Peter Obi is a factor of progress. In the last presidential election, he had over six million votes. If there are no inordinate ambitious people in PDP who don’t want to be overshadowed, Obi is somebody the party should openly approach,” Ulasi said.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, was the PDP’s vice presidential candidate in 2019 but left the party in 2022 to contest the presidency under the LP banner.

READ ALSO: FULL LIST: Nigerian governors who defected from PDP to APC

He finished third behind President Bola Tinubu and PDP’s Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 elections.

Ulasi’s remarks come amid ongoing turmoil within the PDP, including recent defections by former vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He criticised these moves as opportunistic, questioning what achievements those defecting governors can boast of after eight years in office.

READ ALSO: 2027: Huge blow for Atiku, Obi as PDP governors reject coalition

Addressing the wider opposition landscape, Ulasi noted the earlier formation of a coalition between Atiku and Obi to challenge Tinubu in 2027.

However, the PDP Governors Forum has distanced itself from the alliance.

Ulasi emphasised that Nigeria needs leadership with “integrity and honour,” qualities he attributes to Obi, and offered to use his personal relationship with the former governor to facilitate discussions.