Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, on Monday led a delegation of prominent Southeast political leaders to a closed-door meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan at his residence in Abuja.
The meeting, which lasted about two hours at Jonathan’s Maitama home, is part of Obi’s widening political consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections, where he is reportedly preparing for another presidential bid under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform.
The high-level delegation reflected growing political engagement from the Southeast, with several influential figures in attendance, including Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Governor of Enugu State; Chief Achike Udenwa, former Governor of Imo State; Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, former NDDC Managing Director; as well as Senators Ben Obi and Victor Umeh.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Obi clarified that the visit was purely consultative and not aimed at securing political endorsement.
“At this stage, we are not discussing endorsement,” Obi said. “When I officially become a candidate, I will come back for that. For now, this is about consultation.”
He emphasized the importance of engaging former leaders in national discussions, particularly those with experience in democratic governance.
“In a situation like Nigeria’s today, it is important to seek counsel from leaders who have governed well and understand democracy. President Jonathan is one of such leaders,” he noted.
Although the details of the discussions were not disclosed, Obi suggested that Jonathan expressed concern about the state of Nigeria’s democracy, especially the need to preserve electoral fairness and avoid political dominance by a single party.
“He believes strongly in free, fair, and credible elections. He does not support a one-party system. Nobody can question his commitment to democracy,” Obi added.
The meeting is seen as part of Obi’s broader political outreach as alignments and consultations intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, with increasing attention on possible realignments within Nigeria’s opposition landscape.
