2027: Atiku still weighing option, may not quit PDP

•Plans last-minute rescue effort to save party-source

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may not have foreclosed his departure from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 elections, sources close to the party have said.

The sources knowledgeable about the workings of the PDP and the growing coalition, which Atiku is expected to join, have said that despite a recent spat between the governors elected on the platform of the PDP and the camp of Atiku Abubakar, his departure from the PDP has not been foreclosed.

 A source stated that in the aftermath of the meeting of the PDP Governors Forum (PDPGF) in Ibadan, Oyo State last month, close allies of the former vice president met to review the situation and that the initial conclusion was that the ship of the coalition had set sail.

It was, however, learnt that further reviews have shown a window of opportunity for the Waziri Adamawa to explore a further safety valve for the PDP.

The source, however, stated that even in Atiku’s camp, voices remain divided and that while a section of the camp want an immediate cessation of relationship with the PDP, another section is pushing for a slow and steady pace such that the former number two man can still carry along as many PDP stakeholders as possible.

“Let me say that all is not foreclosed as far as the relationship between Alhaji Atiku and the PDP is concerned. Though there was that initial reaction against the decision of the PDPGF not to seek any coalition ahead of the 2027 election, the Waziri Adamawa has not written off the PDP. He is hopeful that a good number of stakeholders will prevail on whoever is acting as the stumbling block against the well-desired merger of opposition parties. Yes, there is a huge support for coalition ahead 2027, but he is not ruling out working with the PDP,” the source said.

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 It was gathered that the former vice president plans a last ditch effort which could see a change of heart by major leaders of the PDP in favour of the planned coalition ahead of the 2027 election. There is a feeling that there is still time to sort out things and that even though the electoral body would soon announce its election calendar for 2027, the coalition can still be stitched together.

But, another source within the PDP said that Atiku was already wary of working with PDP governors, as according to him, many of them are working with a particular stakeholder whom he said has an agenda to “destroy” the party.

The source said of the opinion in this camp: “As things are, a group within the Atiku family is of the view that there was no way that he can comfortably work with many of the PDP governors as presently constituted because many of them are loyal to one stakeholder who has vowed to demobilize and destroy the party.  They want Atiku out of the way and the earlier we take the initiative, the better. Even if the party structure is prevailed upon and they agree to work with the coalition, some of the so-called stakeholders would throw all manners of obstacles in the way.  While some are saying that Atiku should still consider the PDP, the faces in this section are clear that working with the PDP is like plunging into a river that has overflown its banks.”       

It would be recalled that the PDPGF met in Ibadan last month, when they announced the decision not to join a coalition of political parties favoured by Atiku and other opposition leaders ahead of 2027, a decision that drew immediate reaction from Atiku’s camp, which stated then that the ship of the coalition had already set sail.