Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has reacted to the likelihood of a merger between the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obi, in an interview on NoireTV-GlobalBlackTV released on YouTube on Saturday, also addressed the prospect of being supported as a Southeast candidate in the 2027 presidential election by Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 flagbearer.

Responding to the interviewer’s question, Obi expressed gratitude for Abubakar’s statement about potentially supporting him as a result of the South-East candidate. “I commend him and I’m grateful for his statements, especially where he said he will support me if it (the presidential ticket) goes to the South East,” Obi said.

However, Obi emphasised that his primary concern is not personal ambition or political maneuvering, but rather the well-being of Nigeria and its people. “I’m not desperate to be president, I’m desperate to see Nigeria work, especially for the poor people because we have a lot of potential,” he stated.

On the subject of a potential merger between the PDP and LP, Obi expressed openness to the idea, provided that the goal is to better govern Nigeria and unlock its vast potential. “If the merger is to be able to govern Nigeria properly, unlock all those things that will make Nigeria a better place, I’m for it,” he said.

Obi clarified that he has no interest in mergers or alliances solely to secure power or win elections.

“If it’s just a merger for election or state capture, I’m not for it or part of it, I don’t want to be part of anything like that,” he asserted.

The former Anambra State governor stressed the importance of unity and cooperation among individuals and parties, but only if the objective is to build a better Nigeria.

He said, “It might be at the party level, it might be at the individual level, might be at any level, but we must come together to be able to build a better Nigeria.”

• Says Obidients Can’t Stop Me From Saying The Truth

Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has declared that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party in 2023, is unsuitable to govern the nation.

He said that this was made clear by the way his followers, dubbed “Obidients,” behaved during the general election campaign of 2023.

He claimed that Obi’s inability to stop his fans from harassing those who hold different opinions on the internet is evidence that he is unfit to be the leader of a nation the size of Nigeria.

The famous author further charged that Obi, a former governor of Anambra, was inciting “Obidients” to criticise him and other people who have different opinions on the internet.

The Nobel laureate, speaking in a recent interview with Noble Nigeria, said he hoped the former governor won’t contest the 2027 presidential election.

“I hope for the sake of the nation that he doesn’t express interest in the next election because for me as a leader if there was any proof that he was unfit to lead that country, it’s in the conduct which he encouraged among his followers. I know for a fact, and I can give you an instance that proves that he was in control of those forces.

“But it is for me a sad phenomenon, especially for those who want to lead a multi-texture society, different religions, different ethnic groups, different world views and who actually want to preside over sub-groups as one, it means that have already declared themselves incompetent to lead such entity and that’s it.”

Backing his claim that Obi was in control of the trolls, Soyinka said, “It’s simply because when he first came to visit me, you know, he did come at one time. And I watched him. I watched his actions and body language. It seemed to be very conciliatory.

“I remember the moment when he took out his (mobile device) after he made a statement like ‘Oh don’t worry. You don’t have anything to worry about these people. He was talking about ‘Obidients’. I remember he took out his phone, and he typed a message there. I was watching him very closely, I didn’t say a thing. And after that, everything seemed to be nice and cosy.

“And I saw and I read his statement about that meeting afterwards. The statement was a contrast to what actually happened, what we discussed, and I mentioned it in my response. It was a misrepresentation of what happened, and I made sure that I put a statement out saying ‘No, I’m sorry, this is not what was said. This language never came into it”.

The literary icon explained that it was surprising that Obi would, after the meeting, put out a different narrative of what really transpired.

“On the contrary. This is what happened, and so when I meet somebody who is incapable, even at a meeting which is supposed to be reconciliatory, of being completely honest. I look at that person and smile to myself. Of course, when I got to Stellenbosch and I was asked a question about this, I repeated exactly what had given ‘offence,’ only this time I made it even stronger. I said Peter did not win this thing (election). So I led them again to go on the rampage, and I went on about my own business.

“Don’t take my word for it. There were witnesses at the meeting. He came with two people and one person was from my side. Ask them! The statement he put out was not a reflection of what went on at that meeting, which I very reluctantly considered,” he added.

Nigeria’s former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says he will “keep contesting” for the Nigerian presidency as long as he is hale and hearty.

He made this known during an interview on the Hausa service of the Voice of America in Abuja.

77-year-old Atiku was the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.

The politician will be 81 by the time the next presidential election comes around in 2027.

“Of course, I will keep contesting again and again as long as I am alive and healthy,” Abubakar said.

Abubakar has run for the number one office six times but has been on the ballot as a presidential candidate on three occasions, 2007, 2019, and 2023.

Abubakar said he is consoled by the fact that former United States President Abraham Lincoln did not win the presidential vote on the first time of asking.

He also spoke about the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party needs to be united and forge alliances with other political groups to win the presidential election in 2027.

“Even the former US President Abraham Lincoln contested seven times before finally winning,” he said.

“However, given the current state of the PDP, it is clear that a single-handed effort will not suffice to win the election. Strong support and collaboration with other parties are required.”

Last week, Abubakar said he was engaging Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, on the possibility of a merger.

“This is to anybody that thinks there is going to be a misunderstanding between me and Obi, let me assure you that not even a small issue is going to happen between us,” Abubakar said.

“Also, we are going to be behind anybody that will be chosen to represent us in the forthcoming elections.

“I have made it clear in my previous speeches that if our parties are going to merge to agree on a candidate from the south-east, as long as he is qualified, we will allow it.”