Emma Agu
As Nigeria begins its long march toward the 2027 general elections, the political terrain is already showing signs of ideological fragmentation, strategic realignment, and renewed public scrutiny. In a country where politics often feels like a zero-sum game, the recent meeting between Mr. Peter Obi and Governor Bala Mohammed offers a refreshing counter-narrativeโone that emphasizes vision, collaboration, and statesmanship over entitlement and grievance.
This encounter, while not a formal alliance, carries symbolic and substantive weight. It signals a potential shift in Nigeriaโs political discourse, away from the transactional and toward the transformational. It invites Nigerians to imagine a future where opposition politics is not merely reactive, but constructiveโwhere leaders unite not to seize power for short term self gratification, but to serve the people more effectively, for sustainable growth and nation-building.
Mapping Nigeriaโs Political Tendencies
To appreciate the significance of this meeting, one must first understand the broader political tendencies shaping Nigeriaโs democratic actors. These tendencies are not rigid ideological camps, but loosely defined orientations that reflect the motivations and methods of key players.
The Emilokanists
Inspired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubuโs โEmilokanโ mantraโmeaning โItโs my turnโโthis group is characterized by a deep sense of entitlement. Often neo-feudal in outlook, Emilokanists pursue power with an insatiable appetite and a dismissive attitude toward dissent. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, with his repeated presidential bids and enduring influence, exemplifies this tendency.
The Grudge Bearers
These are politicians who played pivotal roles in Tinubuโs rise to power but now find themselves marginalized. Their exclusion from the spoils of governance has fuelled a determined opposition, often tinged with personal resentment. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, representing the CPC faction within the APC, is a prominent figure in this group.
The Democratic Statesmen
This group envisions a Nigeria built on inclusive governance, national renewal, and public trust. It includes leaders like Senator Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State and chair of the PDP Governors Forum, and Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Partyโs 2023 presidential candidate. These statesmen prioritize dialogue, meritocracy, and service over personal ambition.
Importantly, these tendencies are not mutually exclusive. Nigerian politics remains fluid, and party manifestosโwhen they existโare often abandoned once power is attained. The APCโs retreat from its restructuring agenda is a case in point.
A Meeting of Minds and Values
In this context of political disillusionment, the meeting between Peter Obi and Bala Mohammed stands out as a beacon of possibility. It was not just a political rendezvousโit was a moment of vision, leadership, and national reflection.
Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, is known for his fiscal prudence, commitment to education, and advocacy for transparent governance. His technocratic style and data-driven approach have earned him admiration, especially among Nigeriaโs youth. Bala Mohammed, a seasoned journalist and administrator turned politician, has revitalized the PDPโs relevance through inclusive governance and policy innovation. His leadership in Bauchi State and his role in the PDP Governors Forum underscore his dedication to unity and development.
Their meeting was marked by mutual respect and a shared commitment to the common good. Obi emphasized that the oppositionโs goal is not merely to seize power but to serve Nigerians better:
โWe are not coming together just to grab power. If that were the case, neither Governor Bala Mohammed nor I would be part of it. We are uniting to serve Nigerians better because they are not being served well by the ruling APC.โ
Governor Mohammed echoed this sentiment:
โWe are working to form alliances that will present a common front. Mr. Peter Obi is one of the outstanding leaders of the opposition and having him on board will be a great advantage.โ
Notably, Mohammed extended an invitation for Obi to return to the PDPโa gesture that underscores the strategic importance of unity in opposition politics.
Symbolism and Substance
Unlike Obiโs contentious visits to Benue and Edo States where he was stonewalled and brutally maligned, his reception in Bauchi was warm and respectful. This gesture by Bala Mohammed and the people of Bauchi sent a powerful message of tolerance and civic maturity. It demonstrated that political differences need not translate into hostility, and that dialogue across party lines is both possible and necessary.
More profoundly, the meeting illustrated the potential to bridge Nigeriaโs dividesโregional, religious, and politicalโthrough mutual respect and shared purpose. In a country often fractured by identity politics, this encounter offered a glimpse of what inclusive leadership could look like.
Shared Values, Distinct Paths
Despite differing backgrounds, both leaders share core values: integrity, meritocracy, and a commitment to the common good. Obiโs private-sector experience informs his emphasis on efficiency and planning, while Mohammedโs public-sector journey equips him with deep insights into governance and diversity management.
Their collaboration suggests that opposition politics can be more than a contest of egosโit can be a coalition of ideas. It can be a platform for reimagining Nigeriaโs future, not just reacting to its present.
If anything, two examples from their past lend credence to the optimism that in Obi and Bala Mohammed could emerge a the much needed threshold in statesmanship. In the case of Bala Mohammed, though a Senator on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2010, he had no reservations moving the Doctrine of Necessity Motion that broke a constitutional logjam and made it possible for then vice president Goodluck Jonathan to assume office as acting President. Similarly, Peter Obi, though governor of Anambra State on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, (APGA), as the patriot that he has always been, heeded president Goodluck Jonathanโs call to serve on his economic management team headed by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala who was the co-ordinating minister of the economy at the time. If I may borrow the words of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, it is instructive that both demonstrations of โuncommonโ statesmanship, took place during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. Is history about to repeat itself?
A Vision for Nigeria
Their shared vision points toward a unity governmentโone that transcends the winner-takes-all mentality and fosters national cohesion. Thought leaders have long argued that such a structure is essential to overcoming Nigeriaโs centrifugal forces. A unity government could help address the countryโs deep-seated challenges: ethnic tensions, economic inequality, contrived exclusion and marginalisation of certain groups and institutional decay.
This vision is not utopian. It is grounded in the recognition that no single party or leader can solve Nigeriaโs problems alone. It requires collaboration, compromise, and a commitment to the greater good.
Lessons in Statesmanship
The Obi-Mohammed meeting offers key takeaways for Nigeriaโs political class and citizenry alike: collaboration across divides is possible and necessary; dialogue remains a powerful tool for progress and that humility in leadership fosters trust and innovation.
These lessons are especially relevant in a political culture often dominated by bravado and brinkmanship. They remind us that leadership is not about domination, but about service. It is not about entitlement, but about empathy.
Looking Ahead
Though not a formal alliance, the Obi-Mohammed meeting signals a shift in Nigeriaโs political narrative. It suggests that real change will come not from entitlement or exclusion, but from partnership and purpose.
Obiโs second visit to Bala Mohammed in under six months reinforces the PDP Governors Forumโs belief: Nigeriaโs future lies not in the hands of a single individual, but in the collective will of its peopleโand in leaders who dare to lead with vision, courage, and compassion.
As the 2027 elections approach, Nigerians must demand more from their leaders. They must look beyond slogans and scrutinize substance. They must interrogate the antecedents of those whose maniacal quest for power led the nation into the existential crisis the nation now faces. They must reward principled collaboration over confrontation, and vision such as Bala Mohammed and Peter Obi evince over the vanity of self-indulging fair weather opportunists.
In Peter Obi and Bala Mohammed, we can see the contours of a new kind of politicsโone that is principled, inclusive, and forward-looking. Whether this partnership evolves into a formal alliance remains to be seen. But for now, it offers hope. And in Nigeriaโs turbulent political waters, hope is a powerful thing.
