Just In: Atiku, Secondus, Other PDP Leaders Meet in Abuja Over Coalition
- Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, and former Senate President Senator David Mark, on Tuesday, July 1, held a closed-door meeting with select PDP leaders in Abuja
- The high-level meeting, which began around 2 p.m., took place at the Borno/Anambra/Cross River Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel
- Although the agenda was not made public, the gathering has sparked fresh speculation over political realignments ahead of the 2027 election
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; David Mark, an ex-senate president; Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa state; and several other prominent figures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have commenced a high-level, closed-door critical meeting in Abuja.
As reported by The Punch, the strategic gathering, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, is part of ongoing consultations ahead of the formal unveiling of a coalition platform to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Source: Twitter
The Cable also noted the development.
In addition to Atiku and Lamido, other PDP stalwarts present at the meeting include a former PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, ex-governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi).
Other PDP figures in attendance include Senator Ben Obi; former PDP national women leader Josephine Anenih; ex-national organising secretary, Senator Austin Akobundu; ex-national publicity secretary Kola Ologbondiyan; and a one-time national youth leader Abdullahi Maibasira, among others.
Coalition: Mark, Atiku, PDP bigwigs meet
Sources at the venue confirmed that the meeting presided over by Mark is focused on determining whether the PDP leaders will fully integrate into the proposed 2027 coalition party or maintain their positions within the party while forming an electoral alliance.
Legit.ng reports that Atiku has been rooting for a coalition of political parties and individuals to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 election. Atiku has contacted key political figures across party lines regarding the plan.
2027 election: Can opposition win?
Meanwhile, amid the opposition's moves, a former presidential candidate, Martin Onovo, said it will be difficult for any single opposition party to defeat President Tinubu in 2027.
Onovo, who was the candidate of the defunct National Conscience Party(NCP) in 2015.
According to him, the only way to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election is a strong alliance of opposition parties against the ruling party.
Source: Facebook
Onovo described the coalition being championed by Atiku and other like-minded leaders to challenge Tinubu in 2027 as a step in the right direction, Premium Times noted.
Read more on the 2027 election:
- Tinubu breaks silence on El-Rufai, Atiku's coalition ahead of 2027 election
- VP fate in 2027 election: Barau speaks amid reports he may replace Shettima as Tinubu's running mate
Ayodele speaks on anti-Tinubu coalition
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Primate Elijah Ayodele faulted the adoption of corn (maize) as the logo of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).
Ayodele, the leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, however, advised President Tinubu and the APC not to underestimate ADA.
Primate Ayodele asserted that the anti-Tinubu coalition could derail Tinubu's 2027 bid.
Source: Legit.ng
