The South East Coalition for Good Governance (SECG) has cautioned the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against rejoining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warning that such a move would destroy his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The coalition was reacting to recent comments credited to one of the PDP’s founding fathers, Professor Jerry Gana, who claimed that talks were ongoing to bring Obi back into the party’s fold.
In a statement issued in Enugu and signed by Uche Ofia and Gregory Onukwugha, the group described the PDP as a motionless platform that can no longer offer the needed political momentum to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“As long as deeply entrenched forces continue to dominate the PDP, Peter Obi cannot actualize his presidential ambition on that platform. The party is plagued by internal contradictions, double standards, and elite sabotage,” the coalition stated.
They accused some influential elements in the PDP of consistently working against the party’s unity and electoral focus, warning that these internal actors would frustrate any genuine attempt by Obi to secure the party’s ticket or challenge President Bola Tinubu effectively in 2027.
“Peter Obi will be walking into a political ambush if he returns to the PDP. That party is no longer the viable opposition it once was — it has become a revolving door of betrayal and confusion. They want to use Obi’s credibility to rebuild their image, then dump him at the crossroads,” the group alleged.
The coalition stressed that Obi’s most strategic option lies in consolidating the solid base he has already built — either through the Labour Party or by expanding alliances within the emerging African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led coalition.
They reminded Nigerians that Obi garnered over six million votes across 12 states in the 2023 election without the PDP’s structure and urged him not to fall for political nostalgia or elite persuasion.
“He must not allow emotional politics or recycled promises to derail his 2027 ambition. Nigerians still believe in him — he must not throw that goodwill away,” the group warned.
“This is no time for political missteps. Obi is the front-runner for 2027, but a return to the PDP — a house still divided against itself — will only crush that dream. History won’t forgive another wrong turn,” they added.
