PDP Govs Reject Atiku, El-Rufai, Obi’s Coalition

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has rejected the political coalition movement involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi.

The PDP governors declared that the party was not ready to join any coalition before the 2027 general election.

The opposition governors declared their stance in a communique at the end of their meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday.

The communique said the party was not ready to merge with any party but would welcome any parties that wanted to join it to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

LEADERSHIP reports that the position taken by the PDP governors may not be unconnected to recent political developments involving prominent PDP figures and politicians from other platforms

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar and immediate past governor of Sokoto State (now a serving senator) Aminu Waziri Tambuwal are leading prominent northern politicians in an effort to forge a political coalition against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential race.

The immediate past governor of Kaduna State Nasir el-Rufai, who had since dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), is also a key member of the coalition.

Also, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the last general election, Mr Peter Obi, had met Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed some weeks ago, during which the latter said he was ready to work with Mr Obi to rescue Nigeria from its present predicament,

Although the presidency has dismissed the antics of the coalition movement ahead of 2027, Atiku, El-Rufai and Tambuwal have intensified their efforts.

Their recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, largely seen as a ploy to remove the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc from the APC, has come under serious scrutiny and opposition from the APC national leadership.

Undeterred, the coalition’s leadership, it was learnt, reached out to prominent Niger Delta politicians at the weekend on the need for them to work together to oust the present government come 2027.

However, a communique signed by the forum’s chairman and governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, reads in part: “Noting the nationwide speculations about 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 willing to join it with a view to wresting power and enthroning good leadership.”

It reiterated the position taken in Asaba, Delta State, on the issue of the party’s national secretary. However, in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement, the Forum resolved to recommend that the deputy national secretary act as the national secretary pending the nomination and ratification of a substantive secretary from the South East zone and National Executive Council (NEC), respectively, at its next meeting.

On the situation in Rivers State, the Forum reasserted its collective determination to avert what it described as a rape of “our constitutional democracy, hence the decision to approach 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.’’

It restated its solidarity with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara on the ordeal his state and people were plunged into by the emergency rule in place in the state.

“We reiterate our commitment to stand with him until the end,” it stated.

The Forum described the worsening security situation in parts of the country, especially Borno, Plateau, Katsina, and Edo states, as alarming and called for a review and reordering of priorities and strategies, including adopting a bottom-up template that guarantees the subnational constitutes an effective line of defence against security breaches.

The Forum also decried the recent security situation in the country.

It went on: “While raising the concerns above, we condemn the recent attacks in Plateau State and commiserate with the government and people of the state, especially those who lost their lives and properties during this unfortunate mishap.

The Forum resolved that working in conjunction with the National Working Committee (NWC) and other relevant organs of the party to hold a NEC meeting on the 27th of May, 2025, and constitute a zoning committee that would address all issues relating to the zoning of the party offices and have an early convention in August 2025, precisely on the 28th, 29th and 30th, in Kano.

The Forum equally recommended the constitution of the zoning and national convention committees for ratification by the NWC and NEC as follows: Zoning Committee: Gov. Douye Diri, chairman; Gov. Dauda Lawal, vice chairman, and Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, secretary.

The National Convention Committee has Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri as chairman, Gov. Ademola Adeleke as vice chairman, and Gov. Peter Mbah as secretary.

Meanwhile, the suspended Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was absent as governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party are currently meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, to deliberate on pertinent issues affecting the party and the nation.

The meeting was ongoing at the executive chamber of the governor’s Office, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, at the time of filing this report.

Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Peter Mbah (Enugu), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba) attended the meeting.

Others include Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), the host, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa).

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Gov Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) were represented by their deputies.

Fubara, the suspended governor of Rivers State, was absent from the meeting.

While declaring the meeting open, Bala Mohammed, chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, said that the declaration of a state emergency in Rivers topped their agenda.