The governors, under the PDP Governors’ Forum chaired by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, convened in Ibadan on Monday and declared that the PDP would not partake in any coalition or merger. Instead, they expressed willingness to accept individuals, parties, or groups ready to join the PDP in its mission to reclaim power and restore effective leadership in 2027.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the PDP platform, is strongly believed to be eyeing the presidency again in 2027. On March 20, he announced a coalition with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, aimed at defeating Tinubu. The initiative has triggered wide-ranging debate, with mixed reactions on its prospects.
Atiku, through his media aide Paul Ibe, emphasized on Monday that the movement was people-driven and pan-Nigerian in nature. He noted that the project was gaining momentum and would likely attract alignment from the governors in due time. “This is not a setback. It calls for dialogue, but it is not a setback at all. The project continues,” he said. “This is a Nigerian project with Nigerians at its heart. It’s difficult to derail something when the people have taken ownership of it.”
He further stressed the importance of broader consultations among stakeholders and reiterated that while governors remain influential, so too are ordinary Nigerians, whose quest to rescue the country fuels the coalition’s relevance. He added that initial internal polling had indicated that a coalition was the best strategy to reclaim Nigeria from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Meanwhile, the PDP governors used their forum to address internal party issues, including the controversy over the office of National Secretary. Governor Mohammed reaffirmed the party’s earlier stance from their Asaba meeting recognizing former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as National Secretary. However, following a Supreme Court ruling, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, will now act in that role until a substantive secretary from the South-East is nominated and ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The PDP has faced internal strife since the 2023 elections, which intensified in December 2024 when a lower court declared Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary. Despite complying with the judgment, the Supreme Court later ruled that internal party matters should not be subject to judicial interference, effectively reinstating Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
In light of these developments, the governors have proposed convening a NEC meeting on May 27, 2025, to be followed by an early National Convention from August 28 to 30, 2025, in Kano. The Zoning Committee for the convention will be chaired by Governor Douye Diri, with Governor Dauda Lawal as Vice Chairman and Governor Caleb Mutfwang as Secretary. The National Convention Committee will be chaired by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, with Governor Ademola Adeleke as Vice Chairman and Governor Peter Mbah as Secretary.
Additionally, the forum reiterated its solidarity with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, condemning the political crisis in the state and expressing disapproval of any attempt to declare a state of emergency.
On national issues, the governors expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation across the country, particularly in Borno, Plateau, Katsina, and Edo States. They called for a reordering of national security priorities and advocated for a bottom-up strategy that empowers subnational governments to play a more active role in addressing security breaches.
The statement concluded with the governors reaffirming their commitment to defending Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and ensuring the party remains strong and united heading into the 2027 elections.
