The Interim National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, on Monday, Peter Obi, is a member of the party till further developments.
Tanko, a supporter of Obi during his 2023 presidential bid, was responding to a statement by SDP’s 2023 flag bearer, Adewole Adebayo, who suggested that Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were in talks to join the SDP. Prior to Adebayo’s remarks, SDP’s National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, had also claimed that Obi’s supporters were lobbying the party ahead of the next election.
He further emphasized that the Labour Party leadership would soon provide clarity on key issues, particularly in relation to the Supreme Court ruling that removed Julius Abure as the LP national chairman.
As discussions for the 2027 elections intensify, opposition leaders, including Atiku, Obi, and former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, announced a coalition on March 20, 2025, aiming to challenge incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This coalition is fueled by the desire to oust Tinubu’s administration, which has been criticized for its economic mismanagement, soaring inflation, and escalating cost of living. The alliance is counting on the combined votes of Atiku and Obi from the 2023 elections, which totaled over 12 million — more than four million votes higher than the total received by Tinubu, who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Given the ongoing leadership disputes within the PDP and LP, along with allegations of mistreatment within the APC, many politicians are now turning to the SDP as a viable alternative.
