The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stated that there is currently no merger agreement between his party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), or any other political party ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday morning, the former governor of Anambra State dismissed reports of any alliance, emphasizing that no formal agreement has been reached with other political groups.
Obi, however, called on all well-meaning Nigerians in the political space to unite in 2027 to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of poor governance and resource mismanagement.
He expressed concerns over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, lamenting the continuous loss of lives to banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping-for-ransom.
“The security challenges in Nigeria remain unfortunate, with Nigerians dying needlessly,” Obi said.
He also criticized the high level of corruption and the rising cost of governance under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to him, the excessive foreign travels of government officials in 2024 worsened the mismanagement of public funds.
Reflecting on the 2023 presidential election, Obi noted that Tinubu secured victory by winning 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states and polling 8,794,726 votes. His closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, garnered 6,984,520 votes, while Obi finished third with 6,101,533 votes, a significant achievement for a first-time presidential candidate.
Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP, who placed fourth with 1,496,687 votes, claimed victory in his home state of Kano. Interestingly, both Obi and Kwankwaso were members of the PDP before leaving the party due to irreconcilable differences in the lead-up to the 2023 elections.
Obi’s remarks signal a strategic focus on building a broad coalition to challenge the APC in the next presidential election while highlighting pressing national issues that demand urgent attention.
