Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s bid to rally the opposition into a coalition and merger fell like a pack of cards yesterday.

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his political platform, pulled the rug from under his feat.

They ruled out PDP involvement in any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 elections.

Rather, the governors said any political party or individual seeking a bigger platform is free to join the PDP.

On March 20 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Atiku in company with Nasir El-Rufai, among others, announced the plan for a coalition of the opposition against the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But yesterday, the governors ruled out PDP’s involvement in any such plan.

They said: “The nationwide speculations about a possible merger of political parties, groups and/or associations, the Forum resolved that the PDP will not join any coalition or merger.

“However, the PDP as a major opposition party welcomes any party, persons or groups that are willing to join it with a view to wrestling power and enthroning good leadership in 2027.”

The position announced after their meeting in Ibadan got the full support of Board of Trustees (BoT) member and one-time Deputy National Chairman Chief Olabode George.

Atiku has been contesting for President since 1993 during the aborted Third Republic.

Since the return of civil rule in 1999, Atiku who was President Olusegun Obasanjo’s deputy between 1999 and 2007 ran in 2007, lost the attempt to get the PDP ticket in 2011, lost the attempt to get the APC ticket in 2015 but contested as PDP standard bearer in 2019 and 2023.

The governors converged on Ibadan, Oyo State capital, to deliberate on the way forward for the major opposition party.

The meeting, hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde, also proposed May 27 for the party’s long-postponed National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and the National Convention for August.

The governors rejected both National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the claimant to the position Monday Ude-Okoye.

In line with the Supreme Court judgment which vests the power over decisions on internal matters in political parties, they nominated Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshedo from Lagos State to act as National Secretary.

The Forum directed the Southeast to present a candidate for the position.

Other decisions of the meeting contained in the communiqué read by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who is the chair of the forum, are:

”The Forum reasserts our collective determination to avert a rape of our constitutional democracy hence the decision of approaching the Supreme Court to give a clear-cut verdict on the interpretation of the provisions of the law on the declaration of State of Emergency in any state.

*”The Forum restates its solidarity with His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on the ordeal into which his state and people are being plunged by the declaration of a state of emergency. And we reiterate our commitment to stand with him till the end.

*”The Forum finds alarming the worsening security situation in the country, as evidenced in parts of the country, especially Borno, Plateau, Katsina and Edo States.

*”The Forum calls for review and reordering of priorities and strategies including adopting a bottom-up template that guarantees the sub-nationals to constitute an effective line of defence against security breaches.

*”While raising the concerns above, we condemn the recent attacks in Plateau State and commiserate with the government and people of the state especially those who lost their lives and properties during this unfortunate mishap.

*”The Forum resolves that working in conjunction with the National Working Committee (NWC) and other relevant organs of the party, to hold a NEC Meeting on the 27th of May, 2025; constitute a Zoning Committee that will address all issues relating to the zoning of party offices and hold an early convention in August 2025, precisely on the 28th, 29th and 30th in the ancient city of Kano.

*”The Forum equally recommends the constitution of the Zoning and National Convention Committees for ratification by the NWC and NEC as follows; Zoning Committee: Gov. Douye Diri – Chairman; Gov. Dauda Lawal – Vice Chairman and Gov. Caleb Mutfwang – Secretary, while the National Convention Committee has Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri as Chairman; Gov. Ademola Adeleke as Vice Chairman and Gov. Peter Mbah as Secretary.”

Bauchi Governor Mohammed lamented that the party was facing persecution under the current dispensation.

Makinde, who echoed the same sentiment, said PDP would form the next government in 2027, adding that it had learnt its lessons.

They spoke at a reception organised by the Oyo government for the PDP Governors Forum at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

Mohammed said despite the challenges, the leading opposition party is standing tall on his feet.

He said the meeting provided an opportunity for the governors to reflect, reconnect and reassess governance, adding that it laid to rest speculations of disunity and disagreement within the party.

Mohammed said the governors and the NWC are united in their efforts to resolve party crises and move the platform forward.

He said: “We are here on a routine meeting of the PDP Governors Forum and of course, it has become a tradition of reconnection, of reassessment and of course, self-assessment of the governors in terms of sitting down and discussing governance. We are here on a routine practice that we have established. PDP has come a long way as a party.

“Some of those speculations are mere lies. You can see we are together. We are united as a party.

“We are united with our National Working Committee, working to ensure that all those disparaging issues are set aside and we will work as per the mandate given to us because coming from the opposition, we are swallowing a lot of melancholy, a lot of persecution these days but certainly we are standing tall.”

Mohammed praised the PDP governors for living up to expectations in their states.

He said: “All our governors are working very hard to ensure that at least, we leave the society better than where we have found it and that is why we make the difference.

“In 2027, by the grace of God, we shall be taking over the rein of leadership in this country because Nigerians have learned and they know what it is all about.

“The governor of Oyo has said it. You can see what the young man is doing in this part of Nigeria. The infrastructural delivery, the human capital development and so on and so forth.

“If you go to Adamawa and see the kind of infrastructure that is being provided you will be amazed that from where is he getting the money.

“Taraba has already changed the landscape. Of course, Zamfara used to be a no-go area but today you have seen the security. People are happy because the governor is working.

“The same thing with Osun. My brother is not only dancing, he is dancing with wisdom, knowledge and righteousness. If you go to Bauchi you will see the trajectory has changed.

“It has changed for the best because we are all working. Our peer review mechanism is working. We are not just competing for positions, we are competing to excel.

“All our governors are working very very hard. In Bauchi, we are modestly trying to conquer, to catch up with other states that have left us behind in terms of looking at the expectations of the people and meeting them in infrastructure and services, education and so on and so forth.

“If you go to Enugu, definitely it’s a different story. That is an island of work, of services, of ingenuity and so on and so forth. The same thing with Akwa Ibom. The man of God is really a man of God. With fear of God, he is working very hard.

“The Sheriff by the sea is doing so well and of course, we have seen the provision of bridges, of roads and so on and so forth.

“These are the manifestations that determine good governors and we are not doing it to be praised. We are doing it because we want to set the tone for governance.”

On the emergency rule in Rivers State, Mohammed said PDP governors are behind Fubara, with the optimism that he would soon be back to continue his work.

He added: “We assure you we are not going to pre-empt the outcome of the court. We know our rights and we are hardly afraid of anybody but we respect everybody. What we want also is to be respected.

“Our laws should be respected so that our governors will be given a level playing field to work.”

Makinde said PDP would decide the step to take ahead of 2027.

He said: “Those people that have been carrying rumours all over the place that this is a meeting that will define the direction that PDP will go, let me tell you that PDP is going to where we want it to go, and by God’s grace, this is the party that will form the next government at the federal level.

“We have the capacity within the PDP, we have the people, we have the maturity to solve our internal issues.

“They should face their own internal issue, and I will repeat, just like I said before, the 2027 election is going to be between APC and the people of Nigeria.”