PDP Governors Rule Out Coalition, Merger for 2027

Nigeria’s 2027 elections loom large, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a key opposition player facing coalition rumors. Talks of a united front grew after 2024 Abuja meetings between PDP’s Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, hinting at a merger to challenge the APC’s decade-long rule. On Monday, the PDP Governors’ Forum met in Ibadan, Oyo State, for its fourth 2025 session to clarify the party’s stance.

Led by Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed, the governors rejected any coalition or merger, prioritizing the PDP’s identity. Mohammed welcomed individuals joining to “enthrone good leadership” against the APC. Attendees included governors from Oyo, Enugu, Osun, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Bayelsa, and Adamawa, with Delta and Akwa Ibom sending deputies.

They decried insecurity in Borno, Katsina, Edo, and Plateau, urging state-empowered security reforms and backed Rivers’ Siminalayi Fubara’s legal fight against a “democracy breach.” A May 27, 2025, NEC meeting will set up a Zoning Committee, with Bayelsa’s Douye Diri and Adamawa’s Ahmadu Fintiri leading the August 28-30 Kano convention. The PDP’s move may push smaller parties to align or go solo.