Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo to hold meeting on creation of hybrid party
Originally set for today, a proposed meeting between former Nigeran President Olusegun Obasanjo with loyalists and associates concerning the creation of a new political party is unlikely to occur.
The hybrid party would draw away disgruntled members from both the ruling center-left All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as dissatisfied members of the opposition center-right Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ongoing squabbles within Obasanjo’s former PDP weakening its ability to present a united front against the APD, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision not to run for reelection and lead the ADP in 2023, suggests that there is substantial ground to work with across both parties.
Today’s scheduled meeting scheduled is unlikely to happen, as Obasanjo’s aides denied his intentions to form a new party, claiming that he wishes to stay above partisan politics. Thus, expect little information to emerge in the short-term. The identities of public figures joining in the party’s creation will now likely remain anonymous. Yet, positioning himself between both parties would still likely allow Obasanjo to disrupt Nigeria’s largely two-party system. While he likely won’t overtake the standing party apparatuses, years of infighting, coupled with Obasanjo’s political clout, may allow for him to make a serious dent.
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