The political coalition spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of acting as covert allies of President Bola Tinubu, alleging that they are sabotaging efforts to build a unified opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued by Salihu Moh Lukman on behalf of the Coalition Secretariat in Abuja and titled “Rescuing Nigerian Democracy,” the group condemned what it described as the governors' open resistance to the formation of a broad-based coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.
“For over a decade, Nigerians have waited for the PDP to rise to the challenge of providing a credible opposition. Instead, it fell into a coma, leaving the Tinubu-led APC to find an eager undertaker to bury it,” the statement read.
Lukman claimed the PDP’s internal crisis has rendered it incapable of mounting a credible challenge, noting that the party has allegedly been compromised by forces loyal to the ruling APC.
“The virus afflicting the PDP is beyond cure. The governors are merely putting on a show. Nigerians know that this PDP cannot be an alternative because the ruling party has hijacked its soul,” he stated.
The coalition also pointed fingers at Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, suggesting his influence within the PDP is a strategic asset for President Tinubu’s administration.
“Wike is not the untouchable super minister because of his performance in the FCT. He is valued for ensuring that the PDP cannot field a presidential candidate strong enough to challenge Tinubu in 2027,” Lukman alleged.
Reaffirming its commitment to forming a broad-based coalition, the group said such an alliance is essential not only to defeat the APC but to restore credibility to Nigeria’s political institutions.
“The objective of this coalition is to rebuild trust between politicians and citizens and to restore integrity to our political parties,” the statement emphasized.
The coalition lamented the PDP’s deteriorating internal structure, noting that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) hasn’t convened in two years and leadership remains unclear.
“This should concern the party’s leaders, especially the governors. Yet, they have instead chosen to undermine party structures and act without regard for democratic principles,” Lukman added.
He urged well-meaning Nigerians to look beyond party loyalty and support the broader cause of rescuing Nigerian democracy from what he described as “the path of destruction and political irrelevance.”
“It is futile to commit resources to a party whose leaders are either direct beneficiaries of APC appointments or covert sympathizers,” he concluded.
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