Former Vice President and 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has reaffirmed his commitment to leading a broad-based opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
He declared that the coalition would adopt any viable platform necessary to achieve electoral success and deliver good governance to Nigerians.
Atiku made the declaration during a meeting with a delegation of National Opinion Leaders, the footage of which he shared via his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. In the video, the former Vice President described the coalition as a dynamic political force capable of drawing support from across the country.
“It is a fast-moving train,” he said, “with multiple stops to bring on board Nigerians of all shades,” signalling a deliberate push towards an inclusive and diverse political alliance.
The development comes just days after PDP governors, at a meeting held in Ibadan, distanced themselves from any ongoing merger or coalition talks. The governors reaffirmed their loyalty to the PDP but clarified that they were not part of any formal coalition plans at this stage. However, they expressed openness to welcoming new members into the party.
Despite the governors’ reservations, Atiku appeared unfazed. He stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to embark on a fresh political journey, which he described in Hausa as Sabuwar Tafiya.
“A number of us leaders from the APC, PDP, Labour, and others have come together to say we are going to take a new path—a new pathway to a new Nigeria,” he said.
According to Atiku, the coalition’s primary objective transcends merely winning elections. He said the mission is to deliver genuine good governance that safeguards the future of Nigeria’s youth and unborn generations.
“Whatever vehicle that will give us good governance in the future of our children and grandchildren, that is the vehicle we are going to ride on,” he stated.
The former Vice President also directed a message to young Nigerians, urging them to reject short-term financial inducements and remain focused on the country’s long-term interests.
“Don’t be disrupted by people giving you pennies or kobos here and there, and then abandon your future and your children’s future,” he warned.
Atiku’s coalition efforts appear to be gathering momentum following a series of high-profile political engagements. Notably, he recently met with former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna.
The meeting also included prominent figures such as Dr Yunusa Tanko, a representative of Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, now aligned with the Social Democratic Party.
