Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emphasised that a coalition is the only option to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Atiku argued against the viewpoint of 11 governors from the Peoples Democratic Party, who opposed the former vice president’s proposed coalition.
Following their meeting in Ibadan on Monday, the PDP Governors’ Forum, chaired by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, stated that the party will not engage in any coalition or merger.
On March 20, Atiku, who ran for president in 2023 under the PDP, announced the formation of an alliance to defeat Tinubu in the 2027 election. The coalition includes former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and ex-Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The announcement has triggered heated debate, with stakeholders arguing over the coalition’s feasibility.
Atiku, who is said to be interested in running for president in 2027, has been a staunch supporter of opposition unity, emphasising the importance of teamwork.
On March 8, Atiku spoke about his efforts to unite opposition factions and build a coalition to defeat the government All Progressives Congress.
However, reading the communiqué on behalf of the 11 PDP governors, the Bauchi State governor stated that, rather than joining any coalition, the party, as a major opposition force, would welcome any party, individuals, or groups willing to join it in the pursuit of regaining power and establishing good leadership in 2027.
He stated, “Noting the nationwide speculations about a possible merger of political parties, groups and/or associations, the Forum resolved that the PDP will not join any coalition or merger.
“However, the PDP, as a major opposition party, welcomes any party, persons or groups that are willing to join it with a view to wrestling power and enthroning good leadership in 2027.”
In response to the governors’ rejection of the coalition, Atiku described the state governors as major PDP leaders, emphasising that the movement already belongs to the people and is a pan-Nigerian endeavour.
Speaking in an interview on Monday through his media assistant, Paul Ibe, Atiku stated that the governors’ choice emphasised the need for more consultation.
Atiku noted, “The governors are key stakeholders of any party, not just the PDP. They are important, as are all other stakeholders, including ordinary Nigerians. The coalition is a pan-Nigerian movement and project.
“At the start of this journey, we conducted internal polling, which indicated that this was the path we should take to redeem Nigeria and reclaim it from these marauders.
“Therefore, it was no coincidence that we are travelling this route. I believe it’s still early days, and there will be alignments and realignments. I believe that when the governors, or some of them, realise that this is a project with its own momentum and a time that has come, they will align properly.
“This is not a setback. It calls for dialogue, but it is not a setback at all. The project continues. As I mentioned, this is a pan-Nigerian movement – a Nigerian project with Nigerians at its heart. It’s difficult to derail something when the people have taken ownership of it.
“That doesn’t diminish the importance of the governors; they are still very important. But Nigerians are also critical, and this project means a great deal to them in their quest to save their country.”
Addressing the dispute over the party’s national secretary position, Governor Mohammed stated that the PDP leaders confirmed their prior stance in Asaba, Delta State, by accepting a former national youth leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as the national secretary.
However, he added that in light of the Supreme Court verdict, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, will serve in an interim capacity until a substantive secretary is nominated from the South-East Zone and approved by the National Executive Committee at its next meeting.
The PDP had been dealing with internal difficulties since the 2023 elections, which intensified in December 2024 when a lower court named Ude-Okoye the party’s national secretary.
Following the ruling, the PDP Governors, Board of Trustees, and National Working Committee accepted the decision and recognised Ude-Okoye in that capacity.
However, displeased with the ruling, Senator Samuel Anyanwu appealed to the Supreme Court, which overturned his expulsion on March 21 and concluded that internal party disagreements are not subject to judicial intervention.
In their most recent reaction to the Supreme Court verdict, the PDP governors urged the South-East zone to nominate a candidate for the seat.
Reading the communique, the Bauchi governor stated, “The forum reiterates its position taken in Asaba on the issue of the national secretary of the party, but in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement, the forum resolved to recommend that the deputy national secretary act as national secretary, pending the nomination and ratification of a substantive secretary from the South-East zone and NEC respectively at its next meeting.
“The forum reasserts our collective determination to avert a rape of our constitutional democracy; hence, the decision of approaching the Supreme Court to give a clear-cut verdict on the interpretation of the provisions of the law on the declaration of a state of emergency in any state.
“The forum restates its solidarity with His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on the ordeal into which his state and people are being plunged by the declaration of a state of emergency. And we reiterate our commitment to stand with him till the end.”
