A former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jacob Mark, has stated that 2027 presidential aspirant Peter Obi should be the one begging to return to the party and not the other way round.

According to Mark, the PDP possesses a well-structured organization with 37 state chairmen, unlike other political parties that can only boast of a national chairman. He emphasized that the party has executives in all local governments and wards across the country.

"We have 37 state chairmen. Unlike other political parties that have only one national chairman and no state chairman, we have executives in all the states," Mark said during an interview on Arise News on Thursday.

"We have executives in all the local governments of this country. We have executives in all the wards of the country. That is a very big machine that any politician should be interested in holding," he added.

Mark described the PDP as "a very big machine that any politician should be interested in" and clarified that Obi was not denied the opportunity to contest for the party's presidential ticket in 2023.

"First of all, I am not sure anyone, in my opinion, denied Peter Obi when he showed interest to run for the presidency under the party in 2023. He left before the primaries of the PDP to join the Labour Party. And so he was not denied. He had a right of choice, and he elected to go to the Labor Party," Mark explained.

BenriNews reports that Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, left the PDP prior to the 2023 general election when it became clear he wouldn't be given the opportunity to contest for the party's sole ticket. He joined the Labour Party where he contested the presidential election and came third, behind the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A founding member of the PDP, Professor Jerry Gana, had on different occasions voiced his opinion and desire for the former Anambra State governor to return to the party and possibly become its flag bearer for the next presidential election.

However, Mark insisted that while Obi's return would be welcome, the party has not reached such a decision, though he acknowledged that Obi is a sellable candidate.

"Now, currently, while so many people may be of the opinion that he can come back to the PDP, I think the decision is entirely his, and I'm also not sure that the PDP as a party has sat down to say that he should come back and take the ticket of the party," Mark stated.

He added: "There is no doubt that Peter Obi, following his showing in 2023 is a brand that every political party would like to have. The same way, there is no doubt that the PDP has been a brand. So if two likable brands come together, it is easy to predict the result."

Mark emphasized that the PDP is not actively pursuing Obi to rejoin the party. "I'm not sure there is any united decision to beg or cajole Obi to come back to PDP. No, that was just an expression of hope that if he wants, he can come back to the PDP. It may be his best chance, actually, at getting a shot at the presidency."

"So it's not a party that should be cajoling or begging someone to come. No, it is the candidate that wants to win the election that should look at what is available in the PDP and desire to take it," he concluded.

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