- Gana said Obi could beat any opponent in the north if he contests under the PDP’s structure in 2027.
- He confirmed that Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate is still being courted, despite ADC also expressing interest.
The former minister of information, Jerry Gana, has said the Peoples Democratic Party is actively scouting for a presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Gana disclosed that he is leading the PDP’s internal committee tasked with identifying credible aspirants capable of uniting the opposition.
He said the party is considering returning figures, including Peter Obi, who contested the last election on the Labour Party platform.
Obi left the PDP in May 2022, three days before the party’s presidential primary.
The former governor of Anambra state later emerged as the Labour Party’s flagbearer in the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, Gana revealed that ongoing discussions may bring Obi back to the PDP fold.
“The PDP is on the ground. I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate because our people are very fair-minded and just,” he said.
He also said that although efforts were being made to reach Obi, the PDP search committee was looking beyond him.
“We are reaching out to Peter Obi. Because I’m leading a search team and there are many brilliant people, Peter may be good, but we have somebody better. So, we are searching,” he added.
Gana acknowledged that the party mismanaged Obi’s initial departure, describing it as a major strategic blunder.
“We made a mistake in 2023. If I were Atiku, I would say, ‘Peter, it is now your turn; I would give you a vice-president,’ but he didn’t,” he said.