Some political stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, are reportedly pushing for the presidential candidacy of Peter Obi.
According to multiple sources who spoke to Daily Trust, the PDP is experiencing fresh internal divisions as its leaders remain split over whether to field former President Goodluck Jonathan, Obi, or Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde.
Those behind Jonathan argue that he is the only figure within the party capable of giving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a serious challenge.
The aforementioned publication gathered that the attraction behind Jonathan and Obi lies in a strategic calculation. Both men are considered potential one-term presidents who could hand over power to the North in 2031.
Jonathan, who lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 after about six years in office, is constitutionally limited to a single four-year term if he returns, which is still debatable by many.
Similarly, Obi, who contested the 2023 election on the Labour Party ticket, has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected, saying four years would be enough to turn the country around.
A top PDP chieftain told the publication, “Many want Jonathan because he is easy to sell nationwide and has only one term left, which the North will find acceptable, but Wike’s men are against him. They are pushing Obi instead to block Jonathan. They know if Jonathan joins, even Obi will realise the game is over.”
Another zonal party leader said the divisions reflect a deeper battle over the party’s control.
“You saw the statement about cracking down on anti-party activities? That’s part of this ongoing struggle. The party cannot be wooing Jonathan and Obi while allowing one man to dictate everything. They need to prove they are serious; otherwise, these figures won’t take them seriously,” he said.
