A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Sowunmi, has expressed deep disappointment in Peter Obi, describing the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate as his “greatest disappointment” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Naijaonpoint reports that Sowunmi made the remark while appearing on Arise TV’s Prime Time, where he faulted Obi’s alleged openness to joining the coalition being championed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and other opposition figures aiming to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general election.
Sowunmi, a longtime ally of Atiku, lamented that Obi had failed to harness the momentum and goodwill he built during the 2023 elections, where he came third with over six million votes and massive youth support.
He said, “My greatest disappointment as we are getting ready for 2027 is actually Peter.
“The reason is that I had hoped, in all of his seriousness, that Peter would understand that we can move and challenge the status quo — not the way he’s been doing it all by himself. Even if it’s a defeat, we’ll say we gave it the best push and united the country.”
He cautioned Obi against aligning with the Atiku-led coalition, which he described as a “selfish adventure”, adding that the group only wants to ride on Obi’s popularity without offering anything substantial in return.
“These politicians in the movement are only interested in taking advantage of his popularity for 2027,” Sowunmi warned.
He also revealed that he had advised the Labour Party candidate months ago to make a clear decision on his political direction, or risk losing support from key opposition allies.
Sowunmi said, “I told him many months before that if your mind is not made up by May 29 this year, I’m going to be more inclined to support Asiwaju.
“The benefits we have accrued by integrating you as someone that can be a leader of the Igbo political force in a pan-Nigerian context should not be thrown away.”
Sowunmi also criticised his principal, Atiku Abubakar, for spearheading a coalition that appears detached from the PDP, insisting that “any serious opposition movement must be party-driven and not built around individual ambition.”
He accused the coalition of attempting to bypass institutional structures like the PDP and warned that the effort could ultimately backfire if it fails to carry the party along.
While Peter Obi has not officially declared membership in the Atiku-led coalition, his recent presence at opposition meetings has fueled speculation about his political direction ahead of 2027.