Segun Sowunmi, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on the party to initiate efforts to reintegrate former presidential candidate Peter Obi.
The former Anambra State governor left the PDP in May 2022 to the Labour Party, LP.
He won the party’s presidential election and contested as the party’s presidential candidate and went on to gather over six million votes.
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Why leaving PDP, Obi cited irregularities in the party’s primary process and a lack of internal democracy.
Despite losing at the polls and in court challenges, Sowunmi believes Obi’s influence remains significant and should not be ignored.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sowunmi said, “Any serious-minded PDP member should be thinking about how to bring Peter Obi back, especially now that his political movement has developed genuine grassroots support.”
He described Obi as a former PDP insider whose departure was influenced by feelings of marginalisation, particularly from the South-East.
Sowunmi noted that reconnecting with Obi could help the PDP regain lost momentum and credibility.
The PDP, meanwhile, continues to grapple with internal instability following its loss in the 2023 election.
The ousting of former national chairman Iyorchia Ayu led to the elevation of Iliya Damagum as acting chairman, but ongoing disputes—especially over the National Secretary position, have intensified factional tensions within the party.
Sowunmi attributed the growing number of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to PDP’s unresolved internal issues.
“At some point, you can’t keep blaming your opponents. Some of these problems are the result of our own failure to act decisively,” he said.
He also cautioned against underestimating President Bola Tinubu, describing him as intellectually formidable despite appearances.
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“Many assume he’s weak, but underestimate him at your own risk,” Sowunmi warned.
“What’s worrying is that my own party seems to think defeating him is easy. They may be in for a rude awakening.”
