PDP leaders slam APC’s threats driving party defections

PDP leaders, including Atiku Abubakar and David Mark, accused the APC-led government of using threats, blackmail, and patronage to force defections, discussing a coalition to challenge Tinubu in 2027.

Prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, former National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, and former governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), convened a closed-door meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Tuesday. The group, presided over by Mark, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of deploying threats, blackmail, and patronage to induce defections from the PDP, exacerbating the party’s decline since its 2023 election loss and the exit of former National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu.

In a communique issued after the meeting, the leaders lambasted the APC for Nigeria’s worsening global image, economic hardship, and diminished international influence, describing it as a “failed experiment” that must be ousted in 2027. They criticized the PDP’s leadership for failing to adhere to its constitution, rules, and regulations, resulting in a “chaotic and undisciplined” party. The communique highlighted how the APC’s alleged weaponization of state institutions and internal PDP dysfunction have driven elected officials to abandon the party.

The strategic meeting focused on forming a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027. Discussions centered on whether PDP heavyweights should fully join the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement or maintain party membership while forming a broader electoral alliance. The leaders called for unity among coalition partners based on shared commitments to national unity, democracy, security, economic recovery, and combating institutional corruption, with a source indicating a formal coalition announcement could come soon.

Internal tensions surfaced, particularly over Atiku Abubakar’s potential 2027 presidential candidacy, with some factions, including a federal minister and a North East governor, opposing it, arguing that power should remain in the South until 2031. Despite this, the leaders resolved to develop strategies for reclaiming political power, considering local and national dynamics. The meeting, attended by figures like former PDP National Women Leader Josephine Anenih and former National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, signals a potential political realignment as the PDP grapples with its internal crises ahead of the 2027 elections.