Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s attempt to unite the opposition through a coalition and merger crumbled spectacularly yesterday.
Governors of Atiku’s party, the PDP, pulled the rug from under him, flatly rejecting any talk of a coalition or merger before the 2027 elections.
Instead, the governors said anyone looking for a stronger platform is welcome to join the PDP.
Back on March 20 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Atiku joined by Nasir El-Rufai and others unveiled plans for an opposition coalition to challenge the All Progressive Congress (APC).
But yesterday, the governors made it clear that the PDP won’t be part of any such coalition plan.
They stated:
“With the ongoing speculations about a possible merger of political parties or groups, the Forum has resolved that the PDP will not be part of any coalition or merger.
However, as a major opposition party, the PDP welcomes any party, individual, or group willing to join its ranks to help reclaim power and deliver quality leadership in 2027.”
This stance, announced after their meeting in Ibadan, received full backing from PDP Board of Trustees member and former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George.
Atiku has been chasing the presidency since 1993, during the aborted Third Republic.
Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, he has remained a regular contender, serving as Vice President under Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, running in 2007, failing to clinch the PDP ticket in 2011, missing out on the APC ticket in 2015, and flying the PDP flag in both 2019 and 2023.
Meanwhile, PDP governors gathered in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to chart a new course for the party ahead of 2027.
The meeting, hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan, proposed May 27 for the long-overdue National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and set August for the party’s National Convention.
The governors also took a firm stance on the party’s leadership tussle—rejecting both Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Monday Ude-Okoye’s claims to the National Secretary position.
Citing the Supreme Court’s ruling that internal party matters are to be decided by the party itself, they nominated Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshedo from Lagos State to step in as acting National Secretary.
The Forum also directed the Southeast to nominate a candidate for the National Secretary position.
Other key resolutions from the meeting, outlined in a communiqué read by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who chairs the Forum, include:
“The Forum reaffirms our collective commitment to safeguarding constitutional democracy. To that end, we’ve resolved to approach the Supreme Court for a definitive interpretation of the legal provisions guiding the declaration of a State of Emergency in any state.”
“The Forum expresses full solidarity with His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, amid the crisis facing his state and people following the declaration of a state of emergency. We remain committed to standing by him to the very end.”
“We are deeply concerned by the worsening security situation across the country, particularly in states like Borno, Plateau, Katsina, and Edo.”
“The Forum calls for an urgent review and realignment of national security strategies—advocating a bottom-up approach that empowers sub-national governments to play a stronger role in defending their regions against insecurity.”
