What Obi, Atiku First Meeting Means for the LP Presidential Candidate

Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi grew apart in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election when they faced off. Thereafter, it appeared their paths might never cross again.

Except that they have.

The LP presidential candidate did a round on Monday visiting his former principal in the 2019 race. 

He had earlier visited Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State.

Lamido was a significant other in the PDP primary that edged Obi out of the party, and handed Atiku, ‘another northerner’, the ticket.

Atiku first posted the news of their meet-up on Monday.

“It was my honour and privilege to host #PeterObi today,” Atiku tweeted, and clammed up.

But political observers know that in politics, there is no permanent enemy, but permanent interests.

Neither of them had wanted to give up their ambition during the primary, which created bad blood between them. Atiku later admitted it during what many described as his wild-goose chase for evidence to nail the election winner Bola Tinubu in court. 

“Yes, agreed he took our votes from the southeast and the south south.  Of course that would not make him president,” Atiku said in his March 2 speech last year.

 “I think Peter was in a rush….If he was there, nothing could have stopped him from becoming a running mate.”

Now that both are trying to get over their losses, and Obi is playing a one-man opposition, many questions arise. And their answers are tricky.

Obi has said he’s not dying in the LP flailing in crises now though it’s offered him the 2027 ticket. The party’s intellectual flank under Professor Pat Utomi is also itching for a mega party. And Atiku is hanging on like death in the PDP. All that can only mean Obi has to hedge his bets.

But with Lamido in the play, the first thing the Anambra ex-governor may want to clarify is the next zoning in PDP.