During an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Gombe on Sunday night, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, former Gombe State Governor and current representative of Gombe North, reaffirmed the leadership of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in northern politics, despite Atiku’s recent move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“It’s time to build our party. As of today, it’s not just about leadership within the PDP we have northern leaders we still recognise,” Dankwambo stated. “Atiku Abubakar is our leader. We love and respect him. As a former vice president, he remains a leader in the North whether he is in PDP or ADC.”
Dankwambo also acknowledged the relevance of other key northern political figures, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and former Vice President Namadi Sambo. “Kashim Shettima is our leader. He is from this zone, and we love him. We hope he joins our party. Namadi Sambo is also our leader,” he added.
The former presidential aspirant, who ran in the PDP primaries in 2019, addressed speculation about a possible bid in the 2027 elections, clearly stating he has no current intention to run.
“I don’t plan to contest the presidency in 2027. I’ve done it before. For now, our focus should be rebuilding the party. Only God gives power,” Dankwambo emphasized.
He explained that the meeting was convened to brief party members on developments from the recent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja. According to him, the PDP remains the only party that has successfully completed congresses at all levels from ward to zonal and has scheduled its national convention to finalize internal matters.
Senator Anthony Siyako (PDP, Gombe South) also spoke at the gathering, pushing back against narratives that the PDP was in crisis following recent defections and internal disagreements.
“We want to disabuse people’s minds. Seeing all of us here members of the national assembly and state assembly shows that all is well,” Siyako asserted.
When asked whether the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, posed a threat to the unity of the party, Siyako was dismissive. “Wike is just one person in a large system. PDP is not a one-man business. If it were, then yes, he could be a problem. But we are bigger than one individual,” he said.
He concluded by emphasizing the PDP’s enduring grassroots structure: “I’ve not seen any party that has consolidated and grown from the grassroots like PDP. Others are simply meeting points for a few individuals and those are easier to scatter.”
