The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has firmly dismissed speculation about his alleged plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). During a meeting with women members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Atiku assured them that he remains committed to the PDP, stating that “he was not leaving the party.”
The meeting, which focused on the internal crisis facing the PDP, was attended by key female leaders who sought to engage Atiku on the future direction of the party. In his address, Atiku stressed the urgency of forming a political coalition to unseat the APC-led government in the 2027 general elections. He emphasized that the coalition is not merely a political tactic but a vital effort, stating that “the coalition movement was not just a political strategy, but also a necessity to challenge the ruling party and rebuild the country.”
Addressing the delegation led by former Minister of Women Affairs and former National Women Leader of the party, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Atiku described the coalition as realistic and effective. He referenced the successful alliance between the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) during the Second Republic, stating that “when the coalition was achieved, the name of PDP would not be affected.”
He also informed the group about ongoing efforts to build a pan-Nigerian coalition alongside leaders and stakeholders from various political backgrounds and regions. Atiku explained that the movement is being driven by “Nigerians desirous of reclaiming and rebuilding their country from across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.”
In her remarks, Hajia Inna Ciroma explained the reason for the visit. “We, as PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, members, the conscience of the party, decided to take this bold decision to come into the crisis the party is going through,” she said. “We are disturbed that the party has no leadership, and any organisation without leadership cannot stand.”
She added that the group engaged Atiku in productive discussions about restoring direction to the party. “We decided to visit former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to complain about what we are not happy with, to brainstorm with him on the way forward, on how to save the party from total collapse,” she said.
Ciroma concluded by affirming Atiku’s loyalty to the party and his emphasis on structural reform. “He told us he was not leaving the party, as he discussed much on the coalition and the need for us to key in. We also discussed party funding, that parties should be well-funded so that no single person can control it.”
