PHOTOS: Peter Obi meets Obasanjo

Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Wednesday met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, amid growing debate over the former leader’s political role ahead of the 2027 general election.

Photos from the meeting were shared on X by Obi’s campaign photographer, Esther Umoh.

In a brief statement accompanying the images, Umoh wrote, “Earlier today, the presidential candidate of the NDC, Peter Obi, met with former president Olusegun Obasanjo.”

The photographs showed Obi, dressed in a blue traditional outfit, walking alongside Obasanjo, who wore a white native dress and a blue patterned cap.

A Catholic bishop was also seen with the two leaders during parts of the meeting, with some of the images taken outdoors and others indoors.

Neither Obi nor Obasanjo disclosed details of their discussions as of the time of filing this report.

The meeting comes days after fresh controversy erupted over Obasanjo’s political alignment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

A group, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, had alleged that the former president was secretly working to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election despite publicly supporting opposition figures.

However, Obasanjo’s former Political Adviser, Akin Osuntokun, dismissed the claim, insisting that the former president played a key role in brokering a presidential ticket of Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who will contest as Obi’s vice president.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television, Osuntokun said Obasanjo remained one of the principal supporters of the opposition alliance.

“If you can say that Obasanjo is supporting any ticket, it is the Peter Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. As a matter of fact, he is the principal sponsor of that ticket,” he said.

The latest meeting between Obi and Obasanjo is expected to fuel further speculation over the former president’s involvement in ongoing opposition consultations ahead of the 2027 polls, although no official statement has been issued on the purpose of Wednesday’s visit. (Punch)