A prominent member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Sowunmi, has advised the party leadership to make concerted efforts to bring back Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, into its fold ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sowunmi made this statement on Friday while appearing as a guest on Channels Television's 'Politics Today' programme, emphasizing the strategic importance of reconnecting with Obi, who left the PDP in May 2022.

"One of the people who was a PDP member, a South eastern man who felt based on the balance of play that the South-East was excluded, Peter Obi, was allocated 6.2 million votes," Sowunmi stated. "Any deep-thinking, fair-minded Nigerian man who is in the political party called the PDP ought to know that the greatest, necessary next step is to have the conversation about: 'How do you bring Peter back' now that the energy driving him is organic."

Obi had departed from the PDP citing concerns over delegate bribing, vote buying during the party's presidential primary, and the existence of a party clique allegedly working against him. He subsequently joined the Labour Party, where he emerged as a formidable third-force candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Sowunmi's call comes at a time when the PDP is grappling with internal crises following its defeat in the 2023 presidential election. The party has been facing leadership challenges since the suspension and removal of Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman, with Ambassador Umar Damagum currently serving in an acting capacity.

Further complicating matters is the ongoing legal battle over the position of National Secretary between Samuel Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye, which has deepened divisions within the party.

Speaking on the party's current challenges, Sowunmi described the internal wrangling and recent defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as "self-inflicted" issues that should have been resolved earlier.

He also cautioned against underestimating President Bola Tinubu, stating: "One of the things that people do is fall prey to the frail nature of President Bola Tinubu. I know him for his intellectual capacity. He will look frail, but his brain is that of a giant, so most times people underestimate him to their own peril."

As the 2027 general elections approach, Sowunmi's call for Peter Obi's return to the PDP highlights the party's search for a unifying strategy to challenge the ruling APC in the next electoral cycle.