Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday led a delegation of prominent South East leaders to a closed-door meeting with former ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.
The meeting, held at Jonathan’s residence in the Federal Capital Territory, came amid ongoing political realignments and consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among those in Obi’s delegation were former Enugu State governor Okwesilieze Nwodo; former Imo State governor Achike Udenwa; former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Onyema Ugochukwu; and Senator Victor Umeh, among others.
Obi, who recently signalled his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the visit was part of broader consultations with elder statesmen on the future of Nigeria.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Obi said Jonathan expressed his desire for credible elections and a stable democratic system in the country.
‘He wished that we have free, fair, credible elections. That would be his wish. There can’t be a one-party system. He cannot support such a thing. Nobody can claim to be more of a democrat in this country without putting him (Jonathan) at the forefront,’ Obi said.
He described the former president as a leader who served Nigeria faithfully and upheld democratic ideals, noting that his views remain significant in shaping national discourse.
On whether the meeting was aimed at securing Jonathan’s endorsement, Obi dismissed the suggestion, saying such discussions would come later.
‘We’re not talking about endorsement yet. When I become a candidate, I will come back for endorsement. He wishes the country well. We are here to consult with him,’ he added.
Obi further explained that Jonathan now belongs to a class of elder statesmen whose counsel is regularly sought on national issues, alongside former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida.
‘They are fathers now. They are not defecting. They are not involved in partisan politics, but we need to consult them especially someone like him who served the country very faithfully and did what is expected in a democracy,’ Obi said.