In a significant move ahead of the 2027 general elections, former President, Goodluck Jonathan, hosted a high-level meeting at his Abuja residence on Monday, with 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and several prominent South East leaders.
The two-hour closed-door session at Jonathan’s Maitama home centered on national stability and the upcoming polls. The South East delegation featured a powerful lineup of political veterans, including former governors Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo (Enugu) and Achike Udenwa (Imo), alongside Senator Victor Umeh and Chief Onyema Ugochukwu.
Speaking to journalists following the parley, Peter Obi characterized the visit as part of a broader consultative tour involving eminent Nigerians.
He revealed that the group had already engaged with former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, stressing the importance of seeking guidance from elder statesmen who have “served the country faithfully”.
While Obi is currently seeking the presidency on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—contending with heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar and Chibuike Amaechi for the ticket—he clarified that the mission was about national interest rather than immediate personal endorsement.
The meeting underscores a renewed and unified push by Igbo leaders to secure the presidency for the South East in 2027. The region remains the only zone in the country yet to produce a president or vice president since the return to democracy in 1999.
By reaching out to power brokers across various geopolitical zones, the delegation aims to build a broad-based national consensus to correct this perceived political imbalance and ensure the South East is central to the country’s future leadership.
According to Obi, former President Jonathan remains committed to the preservation of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and the integrity of the electoral process.
He noted that Jonathan expressed his desire for a “free, fair, and credible election,” while firmly rejecting the notion of a one-party system. “We are not talking about an endorsement yet”; Obi remarked regarding his own aspirations. “When I become a candidate, I will come back for that. For now, it is about consulting those who understand the weight of democracy in these declining times”.
