Supporters of former President, Goodluck Jonathan, ahead of the 2027 presidential election, have begun reaching out to opposition heavyweights, including Labour Party’s Peter Obi, in a bid to form a grand coalition strong enough to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu.

With the APC hierarchy already backing Tinubu for re-election, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoning its presidential ticket to the South, the 2027 contest is shaping into an all-Southern affair. Party insiders who spoke with Vanguard said top PDP leaders, particularly from the North, have been mounting pressure on Jonathan to throw his hat into the ring.

For weeks now, a host of PDP top shots, especially from the North, have been pressuring Jonathan to join the race.

Before then, some PDP bigwigs had also been wooing former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential standard bearer of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, to return to the PDP.

Obi left the PDP in 2022 to join LP and clinched the party’s presidential ticket. Obi is among a host of opposition politicians supporting a grand coalition to square against the APC in 2027.

He is also among those backing the African Democratic Congress, ADC, coalition that has the likes of former Rivers State governor and immediate past Transport Minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; former Senate President, David Mark; former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola; and former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

Asked at various times if he would return to the PDP or join the ADC, Obi who has been strident in his criticisms of the Tinubu administration, pointedly said he is for any move that will save the country from the APC.

Among Southern politicians nursing the ambition of confronting Tinubu are Mr Peter Obi; Mr Rotimi Amaechi; and Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde.

Jonathan’s exploratory visits

Sources told Vanguard, yesterday, that as part of his extensive consultations, former President Jonathan’s camp has started reaching out to key aspirants and has met Obi “to step down for Jonathan.”

There were speculations last night that Jonathan had met Obi in person to discuss the issue but sources close to the former Anambra State governor said no such meeting had been held.

“It is true that Jonathan’s people want Obi to step down for him but Jonathan himself is yet to meet Obi. I can assure you that Obi is committed to his cause of rescuing Nigeria,” the source said.