Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has announced that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Peter Obi, Atiku’s former running mate, are in talks to form a possible alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.
Nigeria is set to hold its next round of elections in 2027, during which candidates for governors, the National Assembly, and state Houses of Assembly will be elected. Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, both former PDP members, defected to the Labour Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) respectively ahead of the 2023 presidential election, where they were defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Abdullahi revealed on Monday during Channels Television’s “Sunrise Daily” program that ongoing discussions among the three opposition figures could lead to a coalition aimed at challenging the APC in 2027. He suggested that if the three politicians united, they could capitalize on the growing public discontent over increased hardship and the recent protests to potentially unseat the APC.
He highlighted that the focus of the alliance would be to “salvage the country from hunger” and alleviate the current economic and security challenges. According to Abdullahi, the alliance would prioritize national interest over personal ambitions, stating:
“We’ve lost Kwankwaso, we’ve lost Peter Obi… Imagine if they were in the party, we would have won the elections. This APC said they defeated us with just over a million votes; any of these names would have bridged that gap for us, and Nigerians wouldn’t be facing this despair and despondency.”
Abdullahi emphasized that discussions are ongoing, with meetings happening between Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and other key political figures like Nasir El-Rufai. He expressed optimism, saying, “Rest assured, there will be light at the end of the tunnel. One of them would concede for the other, and we will have a clear direction to ensure we salvage Nigerians from this despair, hunger, and insecurity.”
He concluded by criticizing the current administration for its “cluelessness and ineptitude,” reiterating that a united opposition is the best hope for rescuing the nation in the upcoming elections.
