By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Fresh details have emerged on the rationale behind the closed-door meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, as political consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections intensify.
Obi’s former campaign spokesman and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, who spoke with The Punch, said the meeting formed part of a broader outreach to national leaders aimed at securing support for Obi’s presidential ambition.
Jonathan and Obi had met behind closed doors earlier in the week, a development widely interpreted as part of ongoing consultations among opposition figures.
Tanko said the visit was aimed at rallying support, particularly reflecting the perceived preference of Nigerian youths.
He said, “It is a visit to our national leaders and at the same time to appeal to them to give support to the candidature of Peter Obi based on available facts that the Nigerian youths have made up their mind that he is the most preferred candidate.
“And in order to unite this country to ensure that we continue to remain as united as possible, they want to fill in that particular gap of leadership from the southeastern part of this country so that they too can have a feel of belonging since after the Civil War.”
Continuing, Tanko described the engagement as strategic, noting Obi’s relationship with the former President during his time in office.
“I think it’s a noble objective for us to seek the support of his former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, considering the fact that His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi, played a very fundamental role during his tenure as President.
“So we felt it was time for him to give us that particular support that would make a lot of sense. The former President is a humble man. And we believe that with his support, it will propel the candidature of Obi to a greater height.
“You’ve seen us do the same thing to our northern brothers, Prof Ango Abdullahi and the rest of them. So we felt it was important to also extend the same thing to His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan.
“That’s exactly what took place today.”
On whether the visit was part of broader consultations to position Obi as a possible consensus candidate, Tanko said, “Of course! You can never stop consultation even till the last minute in policies, except, of course, the day you are sworn in as the President.”
Obi’s media aide, Ibrahim Umar, also said the meeting was part of ongoing engagements with former national leaders.
Quoting Obi, he said, “We need to consult them, especially someone like him (Jonathan) who served the country very faithfully, focused, and did what is expected in a democracy. In this declining situation, you consult him.”
Obi confirmed that he had previously met with former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida as part of nationwide consultations.
Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Obi said, “He wished that we had a free, fair, credible election. There can’t be a one-party system. He cannot support such a thing. Nobody can claim to be more of a democrat in this country than Jonathan.”
He added, “We’re not talking about an endorsement yet. When I become a candidate, I’ll come back for endorsement. He wishes the country well. We are here to consult with him.”
The meeting comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, including discussions within opposition circles on presenting a united presidential candidate.