In the run-up to the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress presidential primaries this weekend, there are signs that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State and APC national leader; Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State; and Rabiu Kwankwaso, the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, may spearhead regional parties.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi has been in contact with the NNPP but has not joined the party, according to information obtained by The PUNCH on Wednesday night.

“It is not official, but that rumour is going on,” a source close to Kwankwaso stated in response to reports that Obi had joined the NNPP after leaving the PDP. I’m not sure if he (Obi) tried to contact us. You should know that he only resigned today (Wednesday). But I’m sure they’ve been talking to Kwankwaso about it for a while.

“What might happen is that the politics of 2023 might turn to regional politics. The NNPP is already strong in the North. There is a possibility that Ike Ekweremadu, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Peter Obi might form an alliance under another party in the South East.

“If Asiwaju Bola Tinubu doesn’t get the APC ticket, he might also go back to South-West with the Social Democratic Party. So, these three parties might become the big parties representing the regions in 2023.”