A coalition involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party governors rejected a proposed alliance and plan to field a weak candidate in the 2027 election to split opposition votes in favour of President Bola Tinubu.
The group also said the PDP governors were ‘wittingly or unwittingly playing Asiwaju’s spoiler game.’
In a statement by one of its leaders, Salihu Lukman, on Wednesday, the coalition claimed that PDP governors recognise the party is beyond repair, stating that Nigerians no longer see it as a viable alternative since the ruling APC has effectively taken over its core values.
On March 20, the 2023 PDP presidential candidates Atiku, Obi, and a former Kaduna State Governor announced the creation of a coalition aimed at defeating Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The move has sparked ongoing debates about the potential for opposition unity, drawing mixed reactions from political figures.
Despite this, following a Monday meeting in Ibadan, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bala Mohammed, announced the rejection of any coalition or merger efforts.
The governors stated, “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 that are willing to join it with a view to wresting power and enthroning good leadership in 2027.”
Responding on behalf of the coalition’s national secretariat, Lukman emphasised that the coalition is crucial for restoring the integrity of political institutions, particularly political parties, in maintaining and fostering healthy political competition in the country.
He stated, “The meeting of the PDP Governors Forum on Monday, April 14, 2025, declared its opposition to the initiative to form a broad-based coalition of opposition political parties, politicians and other groups. The coalition is a viable option to not only defeat the APC and President Bola Tinubu, but also to rescue our democracy from imminent collapse. Rescuing Nigerian democracy, which is about rebuilding trust between citizens and politicians, is the main objective of the coalition.
“However, the coalition has also become necessary if the integrity of political institutions, especially political parties in upholding and promoting political competition in the country is to be restored. And nothing represents the sad reality of the destruction of our democracy than the party that ruled Nigeria for 16 years and arrogantly boasted of ruling for 60 years, the PDP.
“The mere fact that the NEC meeting of the party has not been held for two years and no Nigerian can confidently tell who is really in charge of the party is evidence of this collapse. This should be the concern of leaders of the party, including its Governors. Unfortunately, all we have seen of the PDP Governors is the flagrant usurpation of the powers assigned to the organs of the party. This is wrong. It is also a clear demonstration that if left alone, the PDP Governors will only continue the path of destroying democratic institutions in the country.
“As it is, all patriotic Nigerians who are committed to rescuing Nigerian democracy should recognise that the challenge facing us as a nation is beyond the romantic affiliation to so-called political parties such as the PDP, with many of its leaders operating as Trojan horses to the APC and President Tinubu’s government. It makes no sense to invest energy and resources in a party whose leaders are either appointees of the APC Government or undercover supporters. Otherwise, how can anyone justify the way PDP and its leaders are mismanaging themselves and practically putting themselves on the path of self-destruction and political irrelevance.”
The coalition leader accused PDP member and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of being untouchable, not due to his work in the FCT, but because he has prevented the PDP from fielding a presidential candidate to challenge Tinubu in 2027.
The statement read in part, “For the avoidance of doubt, the coalition is fundamentally about rebuilding Nigerian democracy. Leaders of the coalition recognise this and, more importantly, recognise all the challenges ahead. Resolving these challenges and building the confidence of Nigerians is about restoring the value of political negotiations as critical and fundamental to guaranteeing the survival of democracy. Over the years, both the PDP and APC have demonstrated contempt for political negotiations and, to that extent, disrespected agreements in various ways.
“For more than ten years that the PDP had been out of power, Nigerians had waited for the party to dust itself up and provide the viable opposition that Nigeria needs. Instead, the party went into suspended animation until the rampaging Tinubu-led APC found a willing undertaker to finally put it to rest. The governors know that the virus that afflicts the PDP has no cure. They are only grandstanding. They know that Nigerians cannot accept this PDP as the alternative because it is clear to all discerning Nigerians that the ruling party has hijacked its soul.
“Nyesom Wike is the untouchable super minister in Asiwaju’s government, not because of the sterling job he is doing in the FCT, but because he has done a great job of ensuring that the PDP is not able to present a presidential candidate to challenge Tinubu for power in 2027. However, with the growing coalition, that mandate has been adjusted in recent weeks. The new agenda is to revive the PDP to stand as a counterforce to the coalition, and present a candidate that would split the vote in 2027. This PDP Governor’s Forum is wittingly or unwittingly playing Asiwaju’s spoiler game, and they expect Nigerians to take them seriously.
“The survival of Nigeria and the future of democracy largely depend on how political actors seek to reverse this ugly reality. This is what leaders of the coalition have been painstakingly working on. The coalition is working hard to finalise negotiations towards unveiling the coalition, along with its structure, and programme of action for rescuing Nigeria. The expectation is that all political actors, including leaders of the PDP, would recognise the danger facing the country and join the coalition as a necessary and perhaps strongest response towards rebuilding Nigerian democracy. This has not happened. However, even as the PDP Governors and some leaders of PDP express opposition to joining the coalition, we extend hands of fellowship to all political actors in the country to join us to rescue Nigerian democracy.”
He declared that Nigeria is in dire need of rescue, adding that the future of the country depends on the courage and clarity of its opposition leaders and institutions.
“We call on all true democrats across the political spectrum to set aside ego, ambition, and party barriers and commit to building a coalition for national salvation”, Lukman added.
