Segun Sowunmi, a senior member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has called on the party leadership to initiate serious efforts to bring back Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and former PDP member.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Sowunmi argued that Obi’s exit in 2022, following allegations of vote buying and internal conspiracies, should now be reconsidered given Obi’s sustained grassroots popularity.
“Any deep-thinking, fair-minded Nigerian man in the PDP ought to know that the greatest, necessary next step is to have the conversation about: ‘How do you bring Peter back?’” Sowunmi said.
Obi left the PDP in May 2022, accusing party delegates of being bribed during the primaries and highlighting the presence of a powerful faction working against his ambitions. Despite his departure, Obi went on to secure 6.2 million votes in the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party banner. Although he lost both the election and a subsequent Supreme Court challenge, Sowunmi insists that Obi’s political momentum remains strong.
The PDP itself is currently embroiled in internal turmoil following Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 election loss to President Bola Tinubu. The party faces divisions after the suspension of former chairman Iyorchia Ayu, with Umar Damagum serving as acting chairman amid disputes over his replacement. Additionally, a legal battle over the national secretary position has further deepened party fractures.
Sowunmi attributed these problems and the defection of key PDP members to the APC to poor internal management and a lack of political creativity.
“There’s a level of activity you can blame on your bullies, but there’s a certain level of recurring, continuous lack of creativity you must hold yourself accountable for,” he said.
On President Tinubu, Sowunmi cautioned against underestimating the ruling party leader, highlighting Tinubu’s strategic prowess despite his physical appearance.
“My own side is choosing to pretend Tinubu is easy to defeat. What do they know that he doesn’t know?” he questioned.
Sowunmi’s comments add to growing calls for the PDP to rethink its strategy and reconcile internal differences as it prepares for future elections amid rising opposition strength and internal challenges.
