Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi on Tuesday led a delegation of South-East leaders to Bauchi State to meet Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed in a bid to foster national unity and build a broad-based partnership ahead of the 2027 elections.
The closed-door meeting was followed by remarks to journalists, where Obi said he came “with a powerful delegation from the South-East” to seek the governor’s support and that of Bauchi stakeholders and the North-East in the push to unite Nigeria.
“My purpose is to solicit support and cooperation in our quest to unite this country and build a future for our children,” Obi said. “The country cannot continue the way it is going. We are headed in the wrong direction, and we need to reverse that for everybody.”
He stressed that national progress should transcend party, religion, and ethnicity.
“No political party buys bread cheaper. No religion or tribe buys bread cheaper. When kidnappers stop you on the road, they do not ask what party you belong to. We want a Nigeria where everyone is secure and farmers can go to their farms safely,” he said.
Obi highlighted agriculture as Nigeria’s untapped economic asset, especially in the North, and said the visit was about building a country “where a child of nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody.”
He dismissed speculation about political defections, adding: “We are not inviting each other into political parties. We are inviting ourselves to build a better Nigeria.”
In response, Governor Bala Mohammed described Obi’s visit as a symbol of national bridge-building.
“Peter Obi came with a torchlight because he is talking about unifying and building the country, building bridges, and creating a new future for Nigeria. That is what we stand for as a state and as a people,” the governor said.
He praised Obi’s consistent engagement with Bauchi, noting his previous visits to the state’s health and education institutions. “This time, he has come with a lot of love which he wants to extend to us. We have given him all assurances that our respect and support are with him and the leaders who visited us today,” Mohammed said.
The governor also described himself as a “freelance politician” with no direct ties to any party at the moment.
“Neither PDP nor ADC is standing alone. I am a freelance politician now, and his party is also in limbo. We are looking up to the judiciary,” he said. “Certainly, we are all in the opposition, and that is why this is a political discussion. We will not disclose everything we have discussed.”
Mohammed added that ongoing engagements among political actors could lead to realignment and stronger cooperation ahead of future elections. “At the end of the day, the current political situation may even help unify us and strengthen our chances of winning elections,” he said.
South-East delegation: The delegation included Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South, Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central, Senator Ben Obi, Professor Udenta O. Udenta, and activist Comrade Tanko Yunusa.
