Allies of former President Goodluck Jonathan have begun reaching out to opposition figures, including former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, urging him to withdraw from the 2027 contest in Jonathan’s favour.

Sources say the effort is part of a broader plan to unite the opposition behind a single strong candidate capable of unseating President Bola Tinubu, who already enjoys the firm backing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second term.

Pressure is also mounting from within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly from Northern leaders, who have been pressing Jonathan to re-enter the political arena.

Before Jonathan’s loyalists began making overtures, several PDP leaders had tried to woo Obi back into the party after his 2022 defection to the Labour Party.

Obi has since aligned with the emerging opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which includes former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Senate President David Mark, former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola, and ex-Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai.

Although unconfirmed reports suggested that Jonathan had personally met Obi to ask him to step down, close associates of the Labour Party leader denied such talks.

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

Jonathan’s backers argue that he represents the South’s best chance to challenge Tinubu, noting that he would only serve a single four-year term if elected, a prospect they say aligns neatly with the North-South power rotation principle.