The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, has dismissed claims that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi’s recent meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja was to seek political backing ahead of the 2027 elections.
Barely 48 hours after Obi held a closed-door meeting with Jonathan, Tanko clarified that the parley was not politically motivated but centred on national issues.
“The relationship between Obi and Jonathan has been going on for a very long time. So it has nothing to do with the continuous engagement that they have. It’s about the country,” Tanko said in an interview with Saturday PUNCH.
The meeting, which Obi described as “fruitful” and focused on “the state of our dear nation,” had fuelled fresh speculations about possible political realignments ahead of the 2027 polls.
But Tanko insisted there was no political undertone.
He said, “Both Jonathan and Obi have been meeting without even the notice of the public. In fact, people didn’t pick any interest in it until when talks about Jonathan getting into the ring of contests started going viral. That’s when people started showing interest in that regard.
“But they have a very good working relationship. So, it’s not as if he’s all out seeking his support. Don’t forget, Jonathan is a statesman. Obi is also gradually becoming one. The country is currently on the brink. What we should be concerned about is how to rescue it.”
Obi, who broke Nigeria’s two-party dominance with his strong third-place finish in the 2023 presidential election, has continued to engage political heavyweights nationwide—a move widely seen as part of subtle positioning for 2027.
Meanwhile, Jonathan has since 2015 embraced the role of an elder statesman, mediating political conflicts and promoting democracy across Africa.
Political observers, however, note that the timing of Obi’s visit—amid mounting criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and worsening economic hardship—will continue to fuel speculations about possible opposition realignments ahead of the next election.
