There are indications that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may have offered the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi a vice president role in a joint single-term ticket.

Reliable multiple sources involved in the coalition efforts, who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, told The PUNCH that the proposal was initially discussed during a meeting between Atiku and Obi early this year in the United Kingdom.

The insiders disclosed that Atiku has committed to serving a single four-year term, and Obi has agreed to be the former VP’s running mate.

However, the ex-Anambra state governor was said to be working to secure the backing of his core loyalists.

In the 2019 presidential election, Obi served as Atiku’s running mate under the Peoples Democratic Party, where they lost to former President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.

On March 20, Atiku, Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others in Abuja announced the formation of a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The announcement sparked widespread debate about the prospects of opposition unity, with political stakeholders expressing varied opinions.

Nearly two months later, Nigerians are still waiting to hear from the political leaders, as both Atiku’s PDP and Obi’s LP remain mired in internal political crises.

A party chieftain privy to the political permutations told The PUNCH that Atiku and Obi have come to an agreement and are now in the process of consulting with their loyalists.

He said, “You know that by this time next year, by May 2026, almost all parties would have unveiled their presidential candidates for the 2027 elections. So, the coalition move is mindful of that.

“The leaders have all agreed that it’s only a coalition between Atiku, Obi, and others that can wrest power from Tinubu. So, they are crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s to finalise this.

“Atiku and Obi met earlier this year in the UK. That was where Atiku first mooted the idea of a coalition and urged Obi to be his running mate. Obi then asked for time to think it over and consult his loyalists.

“But recent developments show that Obi has accepted to be Atiku’s running mate, and Atiku has also agreed to serve a single four-year term and hand over to the former Anambra State governor. They have both agreed to sign a written agreement if necessary. Obi is trying to get the buy-in of his loyalists before this is formally announced.”

When questioned about the political platform they intended to use, given the crises in both the PDP and LP, another source revealed that they are considering the African Democratic Congress.

“The crisis in PDP and LP is frustrating. While they are both making efforts and waiting to see if the crisis can be resolved in favour of their camps, they are both looking at possible political parties to run on.

“The Social Democratic Party was part of the plans before now, but it seems the ruling APC has also infiltrated the party. So, they are tilting towards the ADC.  As a matter of fact, some of the loyalists have been meeting with the ADC leadership, and others have quietly joined the party. So, if things do not favour them in LP and PDP, they may join ADC.”

Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, said he could not speak on the agreement reached between the two opposition leaders.

Ibe, in an interview with The PUNCH, stated, “I know that His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have been talking about the coalition. I cannot speak on the specific agreement they have reached.

“All I can tell you is that both of them are focused on ensuring that they build a viable coalition that will be robust enough to accommodate diverse Nigerians to unseat the clueless APC government in 2027.”

A loyalist of Obi and the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh, declined to comment on the single four-year term agreement but clarified that the former Anambra State governor is working with others to resolve the crisis within the Labour Party.

In response to The PUNCH’s inquiry about whether an agreement has been finalised for Obi to be Atiku’s running mate, Ahmeh simply said, “No comment on this one, until I speak with my oga.”

He continued, “My position on this remains that, for us to defeat the APC, we must follow the rules of engagement so we don’t allow Tinubu to become the landlord in the southern part of Nigeria when we have somebody who can defeat him effortlessly.

“We are in the LP as we speak, and that is the option available to accommodate everyone because you cannot sleep in a hostile environment and expect to succeed.

“We know there were hostile conditions created to undermine Peter Obi, but he is still in the Labour Party and is committed to making sure we get the APC out of government in 2027.

“As for the LP, the Supreme Court has spoken, and Abure’s term has elapsed. So, they can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand. LP will survive.”

When reached for comment on the question of Atiku-Obi joint ticket, the National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, stated that no such matter is currently being considered.

“As far as I am concerned, after I met with him in Benin, there was nothing of this nature on the table. He has not shared with me any of this particular issue. Neither has he called nor talked to me about it. In fact, not too long ago, I just spoke with him.

“So, there is nothing, as far as I am concerned, to confirm that such a discussion is on the table at the moment.”

The ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, confirmed that discussions are ongoing with all stakeholders involved in the coalition efforts.

Nwosu stated that 21 former national chairmen of deregistered political parties are now part of the ADC, adding that the party would make a significant announcement before the end of the week.

When asked if Obi and Atiku had approached his party about their intention to switch to the ADC, the party chair dodged the question and simply said, “The ADC leadership has held conversations with all major stakeholders in the coalition drive and even people in government — that is, even people in the APC.

“And they are all committed to building a mega African political party. So, we have spoken with all critical stakeholders. So, the stakeholders are all working together on this.”

Continuing, he stated, “We are part of the move. We have been working to give Nigerians a democracy that will improve their lives from the beginning. And within the last 10 years, about 21 national parties that have been deregistered have joined us in ADC. So, they all identified with our party.

“Currently, we are involved in coalition talks with all critical stakeholders. And we are meeting frequently, and by the grace of God, before the end of this week, we will announce some of the recent developments to the entire world.

“The Nigeria project is not local. Nigeria is critical to Africa. And that is why ADC is determined to bring about good leadership to rescue Africa, not just Nigeria.”

But commenting on Atiku’s planned presidential contest in 2027, a member of the National Executive Committee of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, asked him to forget his ambition, saying he is not ‘’a modern day Abraham Lincoln.’’

Lincoln, an American legendary figure, is a byword for political consistency, having contested and failed in his quest for the highest office several times until he clinched it in grand style.

Atiku, who was VP to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, has been on the ballot for close to two decades seeking to lead Nigeria.

Against the backdrop of plans by Atiku to run on the same ticket with the former LP Presidential candidate, Odeyemi urged the ex-VP to take the back seat, saying his time has passed.

“The truth is that Atiku cannot get the Presidential ticket of the PDP in 2027,’’ he declared.

‘’I am not sure he will get the ticket from any serious political party. If he is already offering Peter Obi the vice presidential slot, it is possible he has already pencilled some names down for ministerial positions. How can you offer what you don’t have?

“Atiku is not Abraham Lincoln. He should rest because I don’t see how he will realise his selfish ambition. His desperation is what has left the PDP where it is today.”

A chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Anthony Sani, said there is nothing wrong with Atiku and Obi walking the same path again, having done so in the past.

“Such arrangement by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi would surprise no one, especially when regard is paid to the fact that the duo was on the same team in PDP in 2019, albeit the team did not prevail in the elections.

“Whether the arrangement would have more traction this time around is for time to tell, given the strengthening of the political alliance between North-West and South-West, both of which are number one and number two in number of registered voters.

 “What is more, the All Progressives Congress is making some significant inroads in the South-South. As I always say, all these are democracy in actions which should stun no one,” he observed.