Yunusa Tanko, spokesperson for Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, has denied rumors of merger talks with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This comes after PDP’s Deputy National spokesman, Ibrahim Abdullahi, claimed that the three leading opposition figures in Nigeria were discussing a possible merger to address hunger and insecurity ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Abdullahi’s statement was reiterated by Atiku Abubakar’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, who emphasized Atiku’s consistent call for an opposition alliance. Ibe stated that Nigeria is “on life support” under the current administration, with widespread hunger and failed policies.
However, Yunusa Tanko dismissed the merger claims of LP and PDP, saying Peter Obi is focused on consolidating his political base. He attributed the renewed talk of a merger to the beginning of political permutations for the 2027 presidential election, where the stakes are high.
Yunusa emphasized that the Obi campaign is prioritizing building a nationwide structure, learning from past mistakes. He stated, “We want to have the bulk of our people everywhere… We depended on some persons who failed us, but now we want to have our people.”
Yunusa highlighted the strength of the Obidient Movement, which transcends political parties and attracts anyone interested in good governance. He reiterated that the movement’s sole agenda is to combat bad governance, saying, “We don’t have any agenda apart from that.”
