The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) maintained their dismissive attitudes towards the opposition coalition movement yesterday while insisting they can defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Both parties stated separately that they were not inclined towards the budding coalition movement, stressing that they were formidable enough to emerge victorious in the forthcoming election cycle.
Despite calls by a former PDP presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, for a united opposition front, the PDP and Labour Party have yet to align with the coalition project.
While the parties reaffirmed their stance yesterday, former LP presidential candidate Peter Obi, chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, met and began a political realignment process.
The two key political actors in the PDP and LP echoed the need for the opposition to forge a united front in 2027.
Mohammed and Obi’s meeting in Bauchi came less than a week after PDP governors denied that five of its members were working for the Obi/Nasir El-Rufai candidacy ahead of 2027.
El-Rufai, a key member of the coalition movement, recently abandoned the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Obi, Mohammed Agree to Collaborate
Meanwhile, in a meeting yesterday, Governor Bala Mohammed and Peter Obi agreed to close ranks as opposition figures. Speaking after their closed-door meeting in Bauchi State, Obi, a former vice presidential candidate of PDP in 2019, said Nigerian politicians need to unite to shape the country’s future.
The former Anambra State governor said, “We have wasted a lot of time in this country. We now want to invest in critical areas of the country such as education, health, and agriculture and stem the tide of poverty that has been killing our citizens.”
Obi said he visited Bala Mohammed to discuss the country and consult him, as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, about the future of the country.
“So instead of a consultation, it’s a meeting that will continue to go on as we talk about the future of this country. All of you know where we are today, what is happening in our country and everything. And yet we have to discuss that. You have to discuss the issues that are happening in the North. As I have told the governor today, the North is a critical component if we are to get it right in this country.”
“There’s so much criminality in Nigeria, especially when people talk about it, and I say no, there’s poverty in Nigeria. You have to deal with the issue of poverty. Until you solve poverty, you can’t talk about criminality. If people don’t know where the next meal will come from, nobody knows what they can do.”
“We can see poverty in the North, but there’s also a future that is everywhere. We can make more money today. Today, Nigeria can be rich from agriculture. And I could see vast areas of uncultivated land that have been turning the government off everywhere I go. I’ve been visiting everywhere in the world. I just returned from a visit to Indonesia, the highest Muslim country in the world,” he said.
According to Peter, Nigeria needs to invest in critical areas to lift people out of poverty and reduce criminality.
“We need education. We need to care about their health. But as you can see in the political space now, we are not discussing all this in the political space. We are talking about mundane things in the political space, whether it’s budget spending or sexual harassment, and people are hungry.”
“We need to discuss hunger. We need to discuss poverty. We need to discuss education. We need to discuss health. What we are discussing should be the dignity of the political class. We are not in Hollywood.”
For his part, Governor Mohammed echoed the need for politicians to close ranks and ensure good governance for the country.
Mohammed, who described Peter Obi as a leader of the opposition in Nigeria because of his position and pedigree, said he was ready to work with Obi for a better Nigeria.
Mohammed said, “I want to say at this level, not to make some of those doubting Thomases and mischievous minds pre-empt what we are doing, that I, as a person, am ready to work with Peter Obi and to make sure we come together, we close ranks and bring good governance to the country.”
Mohammed further explained that their coming together would be geared towards rescuing and recovering the country from the mediocre people parading themselves as leaders.
Mohammed further stated, “Definitely, there comes a time when we must step out, and we do things with sincerity and focus. And I think our coming together is a message that will resonate because all our colleagues, the governors, are behind this journey.”
He went on: “I think our coming together is a message. And the message is going to resonate, I believe, because all our colleagues, the governors, are behind this kind of journey because it is a transcendental one. I want to say that we are very grateful to Governor Peter Obi for coming here. We will take it up and take it further so that, going forward, you will see more of this outing between us and Governor Obi, PDP governors, and PDP as a party.”
In Obi’s entourage were former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman and other top officials who were accompanied by Governor Bala Mohammed to pay homage to His Royal Highness, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji (Dr) Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, at his palace.
PDP Insists It’s the Party to Beat in 2027
Acting PDP national chairman, Amb. Umar Illiya Damagum, has maintained that the former ruling party remains the major threat to APC’s continued hold on power at the centre in 2027.
Damagum stated this during the inauguration of the PDP South South caretaker committee at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
He said, “I also want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that this party, the PDP, is still the party to beat. It has been tested for 27 years, one of the oldest parties. All these shenanigans you see around, the APC, the others, have not been more than 10 years old, and if you’ve grown up to be up to 27 years and still standing, still counting, then there is no guarantee more than that.”
“The PDP is the guarantee for Nigerians to change the course of what is happening today in our country. I also want to use this opportunity to caution our leaders, don’t fear them.”
He also upbraided party leaders who supported the President Bola Tinubu-led administration because they were afraid.
He said, “Nobody other than yourself will change your destiny for you. I’ve noticed that maybe because of fear, leaders sometimes encourage this present administration at the centre. I find it very disgusting.”
“So please and please, let’s be up and doing. Don’t fear anyone. Nigeria belongs to all of us. So there’s nobody who is a better Nigerian than you are. It’s all an opportunity, but if you put your acts together, the path is very bright; we will reach the destination.”
For his part, Bayelsa State governor Diri Duoye said the party must first put its house in order before blaming the ruling party for its internal problems.
He declared that no individual is bigger than the PDP.
The Bayelsa governor said, “The inauguration today is a step in the right direction. However, this is coming on the heels of the fact that many people have accused the APC-led federal government of destroying democracy.”
“But the main question is whether the PDP will serve as a ready and vibrant opposition going forward. We have to look inward. If you listen to the BoT chairman, we must first fix our problems.”
“It’s easy for you to point these fingers at people from outside, but what is happening within us? The PDP has to sit back and fix its internal issues and challenges; only then can it stand up to compete with others. So, the moment we all come to that resolution that we need to fix our party, there can be no one person bigger than the party.
That’s my take,” he said.
At the inauguration of the South-South zonal caretaker committee, Diri said they would investigate all the issues affecting the party in the zone.
We’re Not in Coalition Talks – LP
Yesterday, the Labour Party maintained that it was not in any talks about forming an opposition coalition.
LP’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated this while reacting to Tuesday’s meeting between El-Rufai and former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman, an LP member, with the SDP national leadership in Abuja.
The party accused Nenadi Usman, chairman of an LP caretaker committee, of trying to transact with the Labour Party at the meeting.
Ifoh said, “The leadership of the Labour Party has repeatedly said that it is not in any discussion with any individual or group on matters of coalition, alliance or merger, for now.”
He added that it was preposterous for Nenadi Usman, who is not known to be either an executive or card-carrying member of the Labour Party, to have the audacity to want to auction LP to his former mentor.
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
