Ahead of 2027: PDP in Crisis as Atiku, Ex-Governors, Key Leaders Move Towards New Coalition
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faces deeper internal turmoil as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-governors, and other influential figures signal their departure, sparking widespread reactions across Nigeria.
Following a high-level meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku and several prominent PDP leaders, including ex-Senate President David Mark and former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, revealed plans to form or join a new political coalition. Their move confirms long-standing speculations about a looming exodus from the opposition party.
Although PDP's National Executive Committee (NEC) had recently claimed to have resolved internal disputes, the Tuesday gathering of Concerned PDP Leaders painted a different picture. It came just 24 hours after the NEC affirmed Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary—a decision that many believe further deepened the rift.
Key political figures departing alongside Atiku include former Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi). Their exit marks another major blow to the PDP, which has been embroiled in crisis since Atiku defeated former Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike in the 2023 presidential primary.
Following that defeat, Wike and four other governors formed the G-5 group and tacitly supported APC candidate Bola Tinubu, undermining PDP’s unity ahead of the general election.
Atiku’s candidacy itself was controversial, as critics argued that power should have shifted to the South following President Buhari’s eight-year term. Since then, the party has struggled to maintain cohesion, particularly after the ouster of former National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
Political analyst Dr. Sani Abubakar told DAILY POST that Atiku’s exit was overdue. “The PDP failed to play its role as a viable opposition party. Its leadership is compromised—PDP by day, APC by night,” he said, criticizing the influence of the current FCT Minister, who he accused of hijacking the party.
According to Dr. Abubakar, the exodus reflects the PDP’s inability to discipline members who publicly sabotaged the party. “How can a member of the PDP openly support an APC candidate and still remain untouched in the party?” he questioned.
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an APC chieftain and former nPDP spokesperson, added that Atiku has not formally resigned from the PDP but is leading efforts to merge the party into a broader political coalition. “What’s happening is a strategic repositioning. Wike and his faction have crippled the party. Atiku and others are seeking a new platform to challenge Tinubu’s administration,” he said.
Atiku, often described as a serial presidential contender, has pursued the presidency since the early 1990s. He has run under multiple platforms, including the SDP, AC, APC, and PDP. Despite winning PDP’s presidential ticket in 2019 and 2023, he lost both times—first to President Buhari and then to President Tinubu.
The latest development raises questions about the future of the PDP and whether a new coalition, possibly led by Atiku, can emerge as a credible opposition force ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For many observers, the party’s fragmentation may signal not just the end of an era for the PDP, but also the beginning of a new political realignment in Nigeria’s evolving democracy.
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