Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar met with Peter Obi, thepresidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections in Abuja, earlier in the week.
The meeting sparked speculations about a merger of some opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an interview with BBC Hausa Service monitored by Akelicious, Atiku Abubakar explained the reasons for the meeting.
You had a meeting with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general elections. What was the reason for the meeting?
It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often had, particularly we in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and for the country’s interest.
People are saying the meeting was to form a merger or alliance between your party, PDP, and Labour Party. Is that possible?
Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible and nothing can stop it if we so wish to achieve that.
But the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the effort?
That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t arise.
Why do you think so?
I don’t think so, I know so. Believe me, the challenge will not arise. Or are you expecting it to arise? Just believe me that it won’t arise.
What if it’s required that both you and Peter Obi drop your ambition and support someone else? Will you and others support that?
I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.
So if Peter Obi, being from the South-East, is the choice, will you support him?
If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him.
