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

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television's 'Politics Today' on Friday, Sowunmi emphasized the strategic importance of reconciling with Obi, who left the PDP in May 2022 to join the Labour Party.

"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's departure from the PDP in 2022 was reportedly due to complaints about massive bribing of delegates and vote buying during the party's presidential primary. He also cited the existence of a party clique allegedly working against his interests.

The PDP has been grappling with internal crises since its defeat in the 2023 presidential election, where its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, lost to President Bola Tinubu. Following the suspension and removal of Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum was appointed acting chairman, a situation that has created further divisions within the party.

Sowunmi criticized the party's handling of its internal challenges, describing the ongoing defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as "self-inflicted" issues that should have been resolved earlier.

"There is a level of activity that you can blame your bullies for, but there is a certain level of recurring, continuous lack of creativity that you have to hold yourself responsible for," he remarked.

The PDP stalwart also warned against underestimating President 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 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.