On Saturday evening, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with prominent members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a move widely interpreted as an early step toward political repositioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Those in attendance included former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) – both members of the now-defunct G5 group – as well as former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose. The meeting also featured Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a prominent member of the PDP.
The gathering has fueled renewed speculations about possible political realignments, especially considering the significant roles these figures played during the 2023 elections. At the time, the G5 Governors, under Wike’s leadership as the outgoing governor of Rivers State, opposed the presidential ambition of PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar and instead backed Bola Tinubu, then the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following the APC’s victory in the 2023 polls, President Tinubu appointed Wike, despite his PDP affiliation, as Minister of the FCT in August 2023 — a move that further blurred party lines and deepened speculations about cross-party alliances.
While the details of Saturday’s meeting remain undisclosed, the media aide to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, shared news of the meeting on his personal Facebook page. However, he did not specify the purpose of the visit or the issues discussed between President Tinubu and the visiting politicians.
Analysts believe that such engagements point to early groundwork being laid for 2027, with potential collaborations or shifts in allegiance that could significantly reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.