Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, along with other top leaders of the opposition PDP, has called on party members and other opposition parties to unite and form a coalition aimed at unseating the ruling APC in the 2027 general elections.
The call was made during a meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The meeting, chaired by former Senate President David Mark, was attended by former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, as well as former governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).
Also present were former ministers Tom Ikimi, Josephine Anenih, Inna Ciroma, former senator Ben Obi, serving senator Abdul Ningi, and former PDP spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan.
Convened under the banner of “Concerned PDP Leaders,” the meeting, which lasted about three hours, focused on strengthening coalition talks and bringing opposition parties together.
Reading the communiqué after the meeting, Mr. Mark said participants urged members of the PDP, other opposition parties, and patriotic Nigerians to rally behind a common agenda to rescue the nation from APC’s governance.
“The meeting encourages all well-meaning PDP members and other patriotic Nigerians to join the coalition. All coalition partners must be united on the issues of NATIONAL UNITY, DEMOCRACY, NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONAL ECONOMY, and the political will to stamp out corruption embedded in our institutions,” the communiqué stated.
The leaders further stressed the need for coalition members to begin early preparations to secure victories at both state and national levels in the 2027 elections, taking into account local and national dynamics.
“The coalition partners to work out the modalities of winning all elections taking into consideration local and national peculiarities,” the communiqué added.
The meeting condemned the APC-led government as a “national disaster” that failed to deliver on its campaign promises and had instead deepened the suffering of Nigerians.
“The APC government, which came into being on the false and evil propaganda to save Nigeria from PDP, is now a disaster to our nation and therefore must be voted out of power. All indices of development that support the comfort and quality of lives of the citizens have collapsed, and life is now hell in Nigeria,” the communiqué stated.
The leaders also lamented that the PDP had suffered significant internal damage, which they attributed to the APC’s tactics of “threats, blackmail and patronage” leading to defections.
“The PDP, which is organic with the discipline, capacity, and history to lead and save Nigeria, is now a shadow of its old self. The heatwave unleashed by the APC federal government through threats, blackmail and patronage has forced elected officers in government to abandon the PDP,” the statement added.
The meeting came just a day after the PDP held its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at its headquarters, where Samuel Anyanwu was affirmed as the national secretary.
However, Atiku, Mark, and others eligible to attend the NEC meeting were notably absent. They remained silent on whether they planned to leave the PDP following Tuesday’s coalition talks.
Atiku has been leading the push for a broad coalition to challenge the APC in 2027.
Speculations suggest that the proposed coalition may involve former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi; former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal; and former Ogun State governorship aspirant Segun Sowunmi.
The former vice president has been reaching out to key political figures across party lines. The coalition team has reportedly held a series of consultations, including a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku also met with Tim Smith, the acting Chief of the U.S. Mission to Nigeria, where they reportedly discussed political developments and the need for democratic stability.
Despite Atiku’s efforts, cracks have emerged within the PDP. The party’s governors have distanced themselves from the coalition, arguing that it could weaken the party’s unity and electoral strength.
This opposition from PDP governors is being seen in some quarters as a direct challenge to Atiku’s influence within the party.
Nevertheless, Atiku remains optimistic that many Nigerians will embrace the coalition movement.
There were recent reports that he approached Mr. Obi to be his running mate in the 2027 general elections—a claim the former Labour Party candidate has since debunked.
Members of the coalition have reportedly applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register a new political party called All Democratic Alliance (ADA).
It remains uncertain, however, whether INEC will approve the application.
