2027 Presidency: PDP Out Of Atiku-Led Coalition Talks Against Tinubu, Babachir

• A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has shared details about the ongoing coalition talks
• Lawal said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now out of the coalition talks ahead of the 2027 election
• The chieftain of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) confirmed that there were discussions to either form a new party or join an existing party

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja - A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now out of the coalition talks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Babachir said PDP has never up during any of their discussion with members of other groups.

He stated this during an interview with The Punch on Atiku Abubakar Nasir and El-Rufai coalition.

“I can speak on behalf of Atiku. But every time we had discussions with members of other groups working toward a coalition, the name PDP never came up. Everybody we talk to about PDP, the answer we get is that it is an incurable virus. I have attended almost all the meetings of all the groups. But I have never attended a meeting where the PDP was one of the parties up for consideration among those of us discussing the merger.”

He disclosed that there had been a discussion on whether to form a brand new political party or join an existing party.

Babachir said Atiku is a big part of the coalition but he is not sure if he plans to bring the PDP with him into the merger and coalition with other groups.

“Of course, Atiku is a whale in the PDP. I don’t know whether his plans would have been to bring the PDP into the merger. But you know the modalities we have been discussing are whether we could form a brand new political party, that’s one option, or we could all as a group join an existing party. That has been our direction. As we analyse the parties that we could join, I have never had anyone mention PDP.

“So the governors are just humouring themselves. Quite a lot of the governors and existing stakeholders have reached out to some of us, saying that the PDP can be repaired. But anytime they say that we see the scenario getting worse. So I don’t think those in the PDP are serious people.”

PDP may die before 2027 elections, Suswam alleges

Recall that the former Benue state governor, Gabriel Suswam, predicted the death of the PDP amid the internal crisis rocking the party.

Senator Suswam said PDP may die before the 2027 election if the party’s leadership fails to resolve the crisis rocking the main opposition party.

Suswam said if former Senate President Bukola Saraki’s recent effort fails PDP might cease to exist.

Buhari’s endorsement not needed to defeat Tinubu

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lawal lambasted Tinubu's loyalists and some CPC chieftains for “chasing shadows” by trying to get ex-president Muhammadu Buhari’s support.

In an interview, Lawal described the Tinubu administration as anti-poor and called on genuine CPC members to rise against the administration in 2027.

The ex-SGF denied assertions that Buhari had endorsed the merger involving Atiku, Obi, and El-Rufai, stating that the former president's involvement was unnecessary

Source: Legit.ng