…Obi’s One-Term Offer Branded “Desperate Political Talk” by Arewa Forum
By Jeremy Fregene
Momentum is building behind a potential 2027 presidential bid by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, with the influential northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and a former presidential aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, publicly declaring their support.
Speaking to the media yesterday, ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said Jonathan’s candidacy appears more appealing than other names currently being mentioned, and dismissed Labour Party’s Peter Obi’s one-term promise as “an act of desperation.”
“The one-term issue is simply political talk — a clear act of desperation,” Prof. Muhammad-Baba said. “On the surface, Goodluck Jonathan appears attractive. Since 2015, he has accumulated a lot of positives. He conceded defeat peacefully and has since earned international respect. However, he will still need to do significant work to convince Nigerians.”
Though Jonathan has yet to publicly declare his 2027 intentions, recent calls from within the PDP and across geopolitical zones have intensified speculation about his return, especially amid talk of repositioning the opposition ahead of the general elections.
Also on Wednesday, PDP chieftain and former presidential aspirant, Dr. Olawepo-Hashim, issued a statement through his media aide, Hassan Mahmoud, welcoming the possible re-entry of Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi into the PDP primary race.
According to Hashim, the trio’s interest represents a chance to revive the PDP’s founding principles of inclusivity and internal democracy.
“In 1998, the PDP was never intended to be a political cult,” Hashim recalled. “It was meant to be a national platform where ideas, ideologies, and aspirations could compete freely. The more, the merrier. We had giants under one roof: Former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Malam Adamu Ciroma, Chief Solomon Lar, Chuba Okadigbo, and others. Some stepped down, others contested. That’s how we built a real party of democracy.”
Hashim praised the leadership of the PDP’s first interim national chairman, Lar, for opening the doors of the party to diverse political forces and argued that the PDP’s current survival depends on returning to that tradition of open, competitive politics.
He emphasized that the possible candidacies of Jonathan, Atiku, and Obi should be welcomed, not viewed with suspicion.
“Let the best ideas and visions emerge through fair competition. That is how to build a party of the future,” he said.
Hashim also highlighted how, as secretary of the publicity subcommittee during the party’s founding convention, he witnessed firsthand the emergence of the PDP’s identity, including the now-famous umbrella symbol, originally suggested by a journalist.
“This is a time to remember who we are and why we formed the PDP,” he added.
His remarks come amid ongoing internal debate within the PDP over zoning, succession, and strategy for the 2027 elections. While Jonathan, Atiku, and Obi have yet to make formal announcements, the growing talk of their possible participation is fuelling fresh realignment discussions within opposition circles.
Observers say the entry of high-profile aspirants, combined with growing northern support for Jonathan, could signal a dramatic shake-up of the 2027 race and redefine the battle for the PDP ticket.