Peoples Democratic Party chieftain Ayodele Fayose has warned that Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, is a threat to PDP’s chances in the 2023 presidential election. 

“(Peter) Obi is a danger to watch out for,” Mr Fayose asserted during his appearance on Channels TV on Friday.

The former Ekiti governor said the PDP should begin negotiations with Mr Obi, if the opposition party wants to stand a chance in the February 25, 2023, presidential election. 

He said, “Obi is more of a chronic cancer to PDP.”

“Reconciling or negotiating with Obi will be a good thing,” Mr Fayose added. 

Labour Party’s Mr Obi has been regarded as one of the top three contenders in the 2023 election, with a wave that appears to upset the current political status quo of the two dominant parties in the country. 

Since his entrance into the presidential race, Mr Obi has provoked the desires of millions of disenchanted youth and undecided voters who have been using social media to rally campaigns for his emergence.

Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra, has been moving around the major political zones to solicit support and his appearance is witnessing a resurgence across the country as young Nigerians tagged ‘Obidients’ show him solidarity.

But commenting further, Mr Fayose said it would not be an easy ride for the opposition party in the next year’s election considering how the major gladiators in the race are attracting support across their indigenous zones. 

“In the South-West, I don’t see how PDP will win. Anybody deceiving us can continue to deceive us,” the former governor added to slam his party, “I don’t see how PDP will win in the South-East. The South-South will be a combination of all interests.”

He added, “I don’t believe Obi will make 25 per cent in two-third of the states. I am not against Obi, I love him and he’s a very vibrant leader. But based on my own permutations, he can’t make 25 percent.”

For the PDP to make inroads in the election, Mr Fayose, however, called on the PDP to negotiate with the party’s aggrieved leaders and governor ahead of the 2023 election. 

Aside from Mr Obi who is from the South-East, Messrs Bola Tinubu of the APC from the South-West and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP from the North-East have also been enjoying large support in their zones. 

Mr Tinubu’s questionable academic credentials and frail health status continue to be major albatross for his wide acceptance among some Nigerians even though his aides and associates have repeatedly defended attacks on his personality. 

In PDP, the party has been faced with an internal crisis over the leadership structure with stakeholders demanding the resignation of its National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, with the emergence of Mr Abubakar as the party’s flag bearer, from the same North.

The crisis in the PDP continues to be a stumbling block for Mr Abubakar with prominent governors and chieftains of the party staying away from his campaign despite efforts to mend fences.