Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso in talks for rerun or merger

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Coalition talks are going among the main opposition political parties, beginning with talks between Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso, and later Peter Obi.

Atiku was the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, while Kwankwaso ran on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NPP. Peter Obi was also the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Atiku and Obi are challenging the results of the presidential election upon which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared President Bola Tinubu winner.

Indications are that the trio had held a preliminary meeting preemptive of the imminent judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

In an event where the tribunal’s judgement goes the way of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the sources revealed that the trio would resort to a formidable merger for the 2027 presidential polls.

The fresh rapprochement among the three strong political heavyweights came amid growing speculations that the judgment of the presidential election petition tribunal might resort to a re-run election.

Consequently, the trio of Atiku, Kwankwaso and Obi open talks for a merger. In a report by ThisDay, the conversations between the presidential candidates of the PDP, NNPP and the LP have been ongoing in the background for a while.

Sources said that the trio would resort to a merger in 2027 if the tribunal judgement goes south.

Reports revealed that talks kicked off between Atiku and Kwankwaso and later transcended into a meeting between Obi and other stakeholders of the PDP. As reported by Arise TV online, it was gathered that the preliminary stage of the meeting between the trio was hinged on three resolutions.

However, indications are they have agreed to wait for the outcome of the tribunal judgement, which would trigger the next phase and pendulum of the conversation among the three leaders of the opposition party.

This was hinged on the premise that a second phase would ensue if the tribunal’s verdict went south.

Meanwhile, sources privy to the meeting revealed that the opposition leaders were optimistic that the tribunal would be “just and fair” in its verdict to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the same vein, the sources indicated that these leaders were hopeful that a rerun might ensue, which might likely trigger a merger to wrestle power from the APC and President Tinubu.

One of the sources said: “The meeting started with Kwankwaso and Atiku and they agreed to bring Peter Obi in to set up a formidable opposition after the court cases.

“Although they have not got to the point of discussing who will lead the opposition, they are leaving it out for now till after the court cases.”

The source explained that should the tribunal’s judgement favour the ruling party, they would resort to a merger for the 2027 presidential polls.

“After the court cases, they will plan and come together for a re-election or stand together ahead to fight the 2027 election battle. They are considering a formidable party comprising the PDP, Labour and NNPP,” the source said.