The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that key opposition leaders are exploring a merger to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
PDP's Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this yesterday on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme.
Abdullahi confirmed that Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) are discussing a potential alliance.
On whether the party is working to bring Obi, Kwankwaso, and other leaders that had left back into the PDP, Abdullahi said, "Sure. Discussion is ongoing. You've seen Peter Obi discussing with Atiku. You've seen Peter Obi meeting with El-Rufai."
He added that when the party gets the bigwigs back together, "One of them will concede for the others, and then we will have a direction. Our concern as a party and to these people that I have mentioned is to salvage Nigerians from these despair and despondency--the two maladies of hunger and poverty and frightening insecurity in the land. You could see cluelessness and ineptitude on the part of those managing the country. And to these people (Atiku, Obi, and Kwankwaso), salvaging Nigeria out of it is more important than their individual ambitions.
"If Atiku says he will contest as long as he is healthy, it is a possibility. If he says so, we will then see how we will manage the situation like we've always managed it, and the lessons we have learned will help us manage it better this time.
"But one thing I will tell you is that the same Atiku is saying if it is better for him to get Nigerians out of this hopelessness, he will do so. That is a statement. Atiku is saying he must not be in the race (to achieve this). Atiku is saying it is an entitlement to him as a democrat because the constitution provides that he could contest at any time. So, what he is trying to tell you is that there is no ceiling prohibiting him from contesting. That is his fundamental democratic right. But he is not saying he will force it on the throat of either the party or the country.
"I am telling you clearly Peter Obi is suitably qualified; he can aspire, and we will support him if he gets the ticket. Atiku is equally qualified, and if he gets the ticket, we will rally behind him to give him the desired support to save Nigerians."
Reflecting on the last election, Abdullahi lamented that the party lost by over one million votes, adding that if Kwankwaso or Obi had remained with the party, "We could have closed that gap and avoided the current political and economic hardships."
We'll thrash them -- APC
But reacting, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it is not perturbed over the development, insisting the top opposition politicians are parallel lines that will never meet.
The APC's Director of Publicity, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim, in a telephone interview with Daily Trust said, "They are not a threat to APC at all. In fact, it will be to the comfort of the APC to have these people again in the race, and the party is going to thrash them.
"When you look at the trio of Atiku, Kwankwaso, and Obi, these are permanent contestants, with Atiku being a serial loser of elections. Whatever happens, Atiku is not going to give in.
"So, we are aware of these shenanigans; we are aware of the circumstances. So we will wait for them. 2027 is a long way from now, but the APC is not going to lose sleep over this issue because these are parallel lines that will never meet.
"Politics is all about give and take; it's all about compromise. But when you have people coming to politics with a one-way mindset of being contestants only, they are not politicians.
"So long as you are not willing to accept another party or person, you see yourself as the only person that is capable, and if you don't get that position, no one should, then there is no way you will play any prominent role in a democracy because democracy is all about the views of the majority."
Wike to face disciplinary committee over anti-party activities
Also commenting on the disciplinary issues within the party, especially in response to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike's recent remarks to unleash fire in any state with governors undermining his political structure in Rivers, Abdullahi said, "We're not happy about it, but the maturity of the party is what has informed the silence from the governor. He was not expected to be on the street as well, joining issues with one of ours. We believe Wike is ours."
He added that "That was a very disappointing remark from Wike, and we were not expecting him to say that. We are not with him on that, to be honest with you."
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Abdullahi also revealed that the FCT Minister would soon face the Tom Ikimi-led disciplinary committee over allegations of anti-party activities.
"Wike is one of the persons expected to face that committee. It's a committee that is going to look into the issues we've been receiving petitions about regarding anti-party activities, sabotaging the party throughout the primaries, and leading up to where we are now. Those petitions have been aggregated against Wike throughout the country. Party members felt Wike shouldn't have even gotten to this level still; as a member of the PDP, they have been writing to the party," he said.
He said the committee has already written an invitation letter to Wike, adding that the committee has started sitting by reviewing the petitions.
Similarly, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the party's "Governors Forum's contribution is crucial, and they will respond to any issues affecting the party. We recognise their stabilising influence and their efforts to ensure the party's progress."
