The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has denied any ongoing merger talks with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), or any other political parties.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday morning, 2 January 2025, Obi clarified that no agreements have been reached and that discussions about alliances remain speculative at this point.
Addressing the state of the nation, the former governor of Anambra State called on all Nigerians, regardless of political affiliations, to unite in the national interest. He emphasized that such unity is essential to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of mismanaging the nation’s resources and governance.
Obi expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s escalating security crisis, describing the situation as dire. He lamented the continued loss of innocent lives due to widespread banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping-for-ransom activities. Obi criticized the APC-led administration’s claim of combating corruption, stating that the prevalence of corruption remains alarming and has been exacerbated by excessive government expenditure.
He highlighted the unsustainable increase in public debt, attributing it to poor governance and reckless spending. Obi specifically pointed to the frequent foreign trips by public officials in 2024 as a clear example of mismanagement of public funds.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Obi noted that he and the PDP’s candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, lost to the APC’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu emerged victorious by winning in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states and securing significant votes across other states to claim the presidency with 8,794,726 votes. This figure placed him nearly two million votes ahead of Atiku, who garnered 6,984,520 votes. Obi, a first-time presidential contender, achieved an unprecedented third-place finish with 6,101,533 votes.
The NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, placed fourth, winning Kano State and securing 1,496,687 votes. Notably, both Obi and Kwankwaso were members of the PDP months before the 2023 election but left the party due to irreconcilable differences.
Despite rumors of a potential coalition among opposition parties, Obi made it clear that no official agreements have been finalized. Instead, he urged all well-meaning Nigerians to prioritize national interest and collectively address the country’s challenges, including security, corruption, and economic instability.
For the 2027 elections, Obi emphasized the need for genuine collaboration among citizens to hold the APC accountable and push for meaningful governance reforms.
