At least five governors within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reportedly aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a covert strategy to abandon the party in favor of a Nasir El-Rufai–Peter Obi presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Sources within the opposition, speaking to Daily Independent, confirmed that negotiations are already in motion, with Atiku spearheading discussions to forge an alliance capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai—who has intensified his criticisms of the Bola Tinubu administration—has held multiple closed-door meetings with Atiku in recent weeks. One significant moment was their joint condolence visit to the family of the late Niger Delta leader, Edwin Clark, an encounter insiders suggest was far more strategic than ceremonial.
A source privy to the development, though unauthorized to speak publicly, disclosed that Atiku and El-Rufai have orchestrated a deal with at least five PDP governors aimed at systematically weakening the party. Their strategy is to neutralize the PDP as a viable contender, ensuring it does not fracture opposition votes—an error that cost them victory in 2023 when ballots were divided among PDP, Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
“The plan is to dissolve the PDP’s influence so that it does not serve as an electoral distraction,” the source revealed. “They are considering using a different party structure for the El-Rufai-Obi ticket. That way, the PDP would be too weak to siphon votes that should consolidate behind their alliance. Ideally, they want the PDP to be in such disarray that it doesn’t even make it onto the ballot.”
Reports indicate that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is leading the charge to further fracture the PDP, driven by his deteriorating relationship with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, a key PDP figure now serving in the APC government as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Another insider noted that Fubara’s decision to champion this move required little persuasion, as he recognizes that his future within the PDP is untenable due to Wike’s continued dominance. “I suspect Fubara sees an opportunity to leverage the kind of mass appeal Peter Obi garnered in 2023 to maintain his own grip on power in Rivers,” the source added. “He has rallied other PDP governors facing similar political hurdles to support the dismantling of the party.”
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has also been identified as a pivotal player in this political realignment. Additionally, a second-term PDP governor from the North-East, along with two other second-term governors, have reportedly pledged their support—with the condition that they be rewarded with key ministerial appointments should the El-Rufai-Obi ticket succeed.
This article was updated 4 hours ago
