Atiku Coalition Accuses PDP Governors of Sabotaging Opposition, Playing Spoiler for Tinubu’s 2027 Agenda
Abuja | April 17, 2025 – IDNN Political Desk
The simmering crisis within Nigeria’s opposition politics has exploded into open confrontation as the coalition of opposition forces led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused PDP governors of undermining efforts to build a united front against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a blistering statement on Wednesday, Salihu Moh. Lukman, spokesperson for the coalition, accused PDP governors of usurping party structures, derailing internal democracy, and serving as proxy spoilers for Tinubu—effectively destroying the very opposition they claim to represent.
🛑 “They’re Killing the Opposition” — Coalition’s Stinging Rebuke
Reacting to the outcome of the PDP Governors Forum meeting held Monday, April 14, which rejected calls to align with a larger opposition coalition, Lukman described the governors as “witting or unwitting collaborators in the APC’s strategy to splinter the opposition.”
“The PDP governors are playing Tinubu’s spoiler game. They’ve killed any hope of revival for the PDP and are blocking Nigeria’s best chance to restore democratic credibility,” Lukman declared.
He argued that instead of positioning the PDP as the primary opposition force, the governors were consolidating power for themselves, operating without respect for party organs such as the National Executive Committee (NEC), which has not met in two years.
Wike Named as “Super Minister” in APC’s Opposition Takeover
Lukman singled out Nyesom Wike, current Minister of the FCT and a PDP heavyweight, as emblematic of this betrayal. According to the coalition, Wike is not rewarded in the Tinubu government for performance, but for neutralizing PDP’s capacity to field a presidential candidate in 2027.
“Wike is not untouchable because he’s rebuilding Abuja. He’s untouchable because he’s ensured Tinubu faces no serious PDP challenger in 2027,” the statement alleged.
The coalition warned that current trends indicate a coordinated effort to revive the PDP not as a challenger, but as a strategic vote-splitting decoy in 2027.
⚖️ Democracy in Danger: Coalition Warns of Imminent Collapse
Lukman described the current democratic space as endangered, citing a loss of institutional integrity among major parties, lack of internal democracy, and elite capture of political platforms.
“This coalition isn’t just about Atiku. It’s about rebuilding trust, saving political competition, and reversing the destruction of Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
The statement pointed to the erosion of party institutions, referencing the PDP’s non-functional NEC, lack of clarity on party leadership, and governors acting as sole proprietors of party destiny.
🌐 An Alternative Coalition in the Works
Despite the resistance from PDP governors, the Atiku-led coalition says it is moving ahead with its plans to unveil a multi-party alliance, with a unified structure and program of action to rescue Nigeria’s democracy.
Key members of this coalition include:
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Peter Obi (Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate)
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Nasir El-Rufai (former Kaduna governor)
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Babachir Lawal (ex-SGF and Tinubu critic)
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Sen. Abdullahi Adamu (former APC chairman)
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Rotimi Amaechi (former minister and APC chieftain)
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Kayode Fayemi (former Ekiti governor)
The coalition, though still in its formative phase, insists it offers the most credible alternative to both the APC and the PDP by breaking the monopoly of dysfunctional politics and restoring political negotiation and accountability.
📌 IDNN ANALYSIS
The escalating feud between Atiku’s coalition and PDP governors lays bare the fragmentation of Nigeria’s opposition, exposing ideological incoherence and power struggles that could once again hand electoral advantage to the APC in 2027.
If the PDP continues down a path of self-preservation over collaboration, and the coalition fails to consolidate into a credible, well-structured force with grassroots buy-in, Nigeria could face a one-party dominant system disguised as democracy.
The stakes are sky-high: Will this coalition hold, or collapse under its contradictions? Will PDP governors blink? Or are they the final pallbearers of a once-powerful opposition?
