Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join a broader opposition coalition to ?rescue Nigeria? from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

This comes as coalition partners are expected to finalise arrangements today for the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the platform for the opposition alliance.

Atiku, who was the PDP?s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, convened a high-level strategy meeting with his loyalists on Tuesday in Abuja to fine-tune modalities for the coalition and its path forward.

The meeting focused on uniting like-minded political actors, setting shared goals, and rebranding the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A senior member of the coalition, who asked not to be named, had confirmed on Tuesday that the opposition force is set to formally adopt the ADC on Wednesday as its platform to challenge President Tinubu?s re-election bid in 2027. The source had explained that the outcome of Wednesday?s meeting would depend on feedback from multiple consultations held over the past week.

?Several leaders requested time to consult their supporters on the ADC decision. Wednesday?s meeting will be to collate and ratify those views. Since adopting a platform is the coalition?s final outstanding issue, we expect closure on Wednesday,? he said.

Atiku?s meeting with PDP leaders on Tuesday was believed to be one of the final consultations among the various blocs that have come together to form the coalition, ahead of the formal adoption of the ADC as the platform for the 2027 agenda.

Back roll: Former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke (1st right); former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal (2nd right); alongside other top party leaders, during the meeting yesterday

In a communiqu? issued after the meeting and read to journalists by former Senate President David Mark, the group, under the banner of Concerned Leaders of the PDP, said the gathering was aimed at building consensus around the need for urgent action to rescue Nigeria?s democracy and governance structures.

The communiqu? urged ?all well-meaning PDP members and other patriotic Nigerians to join the coalition,? warning that the current trajectory of both the PDP and the country was unsustainable.

Among the high-profile figures who attended the meeting apart from Mark and are expected to align with Atiku in the new coalition are former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Also at the meeting were former PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; former governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Celestine Omehia (Rivers), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), and Liyel Imoke (Cross River); former Foreign Affairs Ministers Tom Ikimi, Ambassador Aminu Wali; former PDP National Women Leader Josephine Anenih; Senator Ben Obi; former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri; former National Organising Secretary, Senator Austin Akobundu; and former National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

Others include serving and former lawmakers, state party chairmen, and political associates who, it was gathered, were disillusioned with the internal state of the PDP and are rallying behind Atiku?s call for a reset through an opposition merger.

According to the communiqu?, ?Since our loss in the last presidential election and the exit of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman, our dear party has never been the same again.?

The group accused internal saboteurs, ?institutional intimidation from the APC-led federal government, and an erosion of internal discipline for the current state of the PDP.

?Vested interests from within and the actions of the APC-led federal government, which has been using state institutions to stifle and destroy democracy, know no bounds,? it stated.

?The inability of the PDP leadership to guide the party according to its constitution, rules, and regulations has led to a chaotic and undisciplined organization,? it added.

The leaders lamented that the vision of the PDP?s founding fathers?anchored on unity, inclusion, and development?has been lost, adding that Nigeria?s global standing has deteriorated under the current administration.

The group said the coalition will prioritise five major areas: national unity, restoration of democratic values, national security, economic recovery, and the political will to fight endemic corruption.

?All coalition partners must be united on these core issues. We must rebuild the foundation of Nigeria?s democracy and restore hope to our people,? the communiqu? read.

It added that modalities for contesting elections at all levels under the coalition were being worked out, taking into account national and local political peculiarities.

Mark, who has been tapped as interim national chairman of the ADC, said their intervention became necessary due to the worsening national condition. ?Painfully, Nigeria is now a diminished country and an embarrassment on the world stage,? he declared.

The meeting was said to have deliberated extensively on the state of governance, democracy, insecurity, the collapsing economy, corruption, and the growing hardship experienced by citizens.

A resolution from the meeting read, ?The APC government, which came into being on the back of false and malicious propaganda against the PDP, is now a disaster to our nation and must be voted out of power.

?All indices of development that support the comfort and quality of life for the citizens have collapsed. Life in Nigeria today has become unbearable.

?The PDP, which once had the national spread, internal discipline, and institutional memory to govern effectively, is now a shadow of its former self.

?The heatwave unleashed by the APC federal government?through threats, blackmail, and selective patronage?has forced many elected officers to abandon the PDP.?

Kebbi PDP: We?ll back coalition to defeat APC

In Kebbi State, the PDP chapter has expressed support for the proposed coalition and affirmed its readiness to collaborate with any group committed to removing the APC from power in 2027.

Although the chapter denied reports that a specific individual was leading it into the coalition, it confirmed that it was in alignment with the broader opposition movement.

?No individual is leading us to the coalition, but we are ready to work with any platform that will end the APC governance in Kebbi and across Nigeria,? said PDP state chairman, Usman Suru.

Suru stressed that the party was committed to rescuing the people from the ?hardship inflicted by the APC-led administration?. He added that the state chapter had agreed to hold its congress early, subject to the approval of the PDP?s national leadership.

Also speaking, the party?s 2023 governorship candidate, retired General Aminu Bande, reiterated the resolve of the Kebbi PDP to support any serious effort to end APC rule.

?We will support any movement committed to ousting the APC and bringing good governance to Kebbi State and Nigeria,? he said.

Bande also accused the state government of targeting opposition members with arbitrary arrests and detentions. He expressed confidence in resolving the PDP?s internal challenges in the coming weeks and vowed that the party would intensify mobilisation efforts across the state.

APC to opposition: Your coalition exists only in Abuja hotels

While the APC is yet to react to the latest development, the acting National Chairman of the party, Ali Bukar Dalori, in an earlier interview on Tuesday dismissed the Atiku-led coalition as a gathering of failed politicians confined to hotel rooms in Abuja.

Speaking to BBC Hausa on Tuesday, Dalori said the APC was unbothered by the opposition movement, which he described as lacking grassroots appeal and a credible national agenda.

?We are not in any way threatened by the so-called coalition,? he said. ?This is a party that is only being discussed inside Abuja hotels. Nobody is talking about them in the real Nigeria.?

Dalori boasted that the APC was founded through a successful merger and continues to enjoy the trust of Nigerians.

?They have nothing marketable to sell. Our politics is people-oriented. When they are eventually defeated, they will run abroad, as usual,? he added.

Dalori also dismissed rumours of an internal crisis in the APC following the North-East zonal meeting in Gombe, where a row erupted over the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu without Vice President Kashim Shettima.

?That?s not an issue at all,? he said. ?We are one and united. These minor disagreements are normal in politics.?

The acting chairman, who took over on Monday following the resignation of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the party was witnessing a surge.

?Many are joining us because they know they can?t win elections in their former parties. Those waiting for the APC to implode are wasting their time. The party is held together by an unbreakable thread,? he said.

He also defended President Tinubu?s economic policies under the Renewed Hope Agenda and said the APC was duty-bound to support and explain the government?s programmes to Nigerians.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar (right) with the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, during the National Political Consultative Group?s meeting in Abuja, recently

Saraki has no link to coalition, Kwara PDP tells members

Meanwhile, the Kwara State chapter of the PDP has alleged that some members of the coalition are using the name of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to attract support in the state.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Ilorin, the party cautioned members and supporters against being misled by those falsely claiming Saraki?s backing.

?The Kwara PDP, under the leadership of Dr. Bukola Saraki, has no affiliation whatsoever with the coalition being spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or any external group,? the statement said.

It warned members to remain vigilant and resist attempts by ?stranded and unpopular politicians? to hijack Saraki?s name for their political adventure.

The party noted that many of the individuals promoting the coalition neither belong to the PDP nor played any meaningful role in the party?s September 2024 local government election victories.

?Despite their absence, the PDP triumphed?thanks to the unwavering support of the people of Kwara State,? the statement read.

It urged those behind the coalition to ?campaign based on their own records? rather than exploiting Saraki?s reputation.

Saraki, it said, remains a committed member of the PDP and is actively involved in efforts to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

When contacted on the PDP?s claim, the coalition?s Kwara liaison, Hon. Abdulkadir Oba-Aluko, told Daily Trust, ?Really, I?m busy for now, but when I?m through, I?ll call you.?

However, in an earlier statement, Oba-Aluko confirmed that the coalition had extended its outreach to Kwara and was mobilising groups, associations, and individuals to register and join the effort to prevent Nigeria from becoming a one-party state.

ADC chairman: We?ll present ?compass to the future?

Speaking with Daily Trust, ADC National Chairman, Dr. Ralph Nwosu, confirmed that today?s unveiling will go beyond party branding to include the presentation of a ?contract with Nigerians.?

He said the coalition would offer Nigerians a roadmap on how it intends to address the country?s deepening challenges.

?Nigerians need to know what we?re bringing to the table. The ADC, in a patriotic move, has offered its platform to build a credible alternative,? Nwosu said.

He added that the coalition?s contract with Nigerians?tagged Compass to the Future?is still being finalised.

?We?ve been working for months. Some stakeholders want us to announce it together with the party unveiling, while others prefer we hold off for now,? he said.

Nwosu explained that the document would detail what citizens can expect from the coalition, including economic revival, security reforms, institutional accountability, and political inclusion. (Daily Trust, but headline rejigged)

? PHOTO: From left; Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party spokesperson, Dr. Yunusa Tanko; former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; and former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, during a press conference by opposition coalition, held at the Shehu Musa Yar?adua centre, Abuja, recently Photo: Onyekachukwu Obi

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