Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that the party is working on strategies to bring Peter Obi back into the party.

He referred to the former Anambra State governor as someone shaped by the PDP and said he holds significant value for any political organization.

He pointed out that despite alleged rigging and manipulation during the 2023 elections, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate still secured over six million votes.

Peter Obi, who was once the PDP’s vice presidential candidate, left the party for the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general election.

He secured the Labour Party’s presidential ticket and ran against Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

Obi emerged victorious in twelve states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, but placed third behind Atiku and eventual winner Tinubu, according to the final results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking during an appearance on Arise News on Thursday night, Abdullahi noted that the PDP is making efforts to welcome Obi back into its ranks.

“Peter Obi is our product, and the PDP indeed wants to get him back. He is a very great capital for any political party, and any political party that will have him will be to their advantage,” he said.

“The truth of the matter is if he had not gone the way he did in the last dispensation and proved that mettle to generate over six million in spite of the rigging and frustration of his chances in many of the states. Peter Obi is truly a political capital no doubt about it,” he added.

Recently, Peter Obi said he remains a Labour Party member but intends to collaborate with a new Coalition formed under the African Democratic Congress.

Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and the PDP’s presidential candidate in the last two elections, has left the party.

Atiku is among several political figures forming a coalition aimed at unseating the current president in the 2027 elections through the ballot box.

In a live interview earlier today on AIT, political analyst and committed Buharist Chief Okoi Obono-Obla —former member of the National Executive Committee and Secretary of the defunct CPC Merger Committee—addressed recent speculation regarding the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc and Buharists within the All Progressives Congress (APC), following the transition of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Responding to reports that certain former government officials are considering a move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or aligning with a so-called coalition, Okoi stated firmly:

“These individuals do not represent the leadership or the collective will of the CPC bloc. As a Buharist and one who participated in the foundational merger, I can confirm that the CPC bloc remains solidly within the APC and stands fully behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He emphasized that suggestions to defect run contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy and enduring support for the APC:

“If those advocating a move to the ADC were genuine followers of President Buhari, they would respect his clear position. Our leader has declared he remains a member of the APC and deeply appreciates the platform the party provided for his presidency from 2015 to 2023.”

Okoi also conveyed a strong demand from the CPC bloc regarding the future leadership of the APC:

> “The CPC bloc is earnestly calling for the position of the next APC National Chairman to be conceded to our bloc. We are united in our clamour for Senator Tanko Umaru Al-Makura—our respected leader and a committed party stalwart—to assume this vital role.”

This reaffirmation not only signals loyalty to President Tinubu and the APC, but also outlines the CPC bloc’s expectations for inclusive party leadership, rooted in shared history and trust.

@ Okoi Obono-Obla#

PresidentialVillaUpdate

The British government announced on Thursday its intention to grant voting rights in general elections to 16- and 17-year-olds, marking a significant shift that would place the UK among countries with the lowest voting age globally.

This move stems from a commitment made by the ruling Labour Party before gaining power last year, and is part of a broader set of proposed reforms to the democratic process, which some have described as “in crisis” due to issues like low voter turnout.

The proposal is expected to spark debate, as opponents argue it could be politically motivated, with younger voters perceived as more inclined to favour the centre-left Labour party.

“I think it’s really important that 16- and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, so (they) pay in,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

“And I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go,” Starmer added.

To implement the change, the government will need to present legislation in parliament, where it holds a solid majority.

Globally, only a few countries allow citizens as young as 16 to vote in national elections, according to online sources.

These include Austria — the first EU member to reduce its voting age to 16 in 2007 — along with Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Cuba.

Labour ministers argue the reform is designed to “modernise our democracy” and increase participation, while also matching the voting age already used in elections for devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

Other planned reforms include the adoption of automated voter registration — a system already in place in Australia and Canada — and allowing UK-issued bank cards to be accepted as valid ID at polling stations.

These proposals come after the former Conservative government implemented laws requiring voters to present photo identification, which the Electoral Commission reported resulted in around 750,000 people being unable to vote in last year’s election.

Harry Quilter-Pinner, executive director of the Institute For Public Policy Research, described the proposals as “the biggest reform to our electoral system since 1969”, when the voting age was reduced to 18.

He estimated that lowering the voting age and introducing automated registration could add as many as 9.5 million new voters.

“Our democracy is in crisis, and we risk reaching a tipping point where politics loses its legitimacy,” he said, expressing his support for the proposed changes.

Credit: AFP