In a pivotal move that could reshape Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, top leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convened a high-level, closed-door meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. The gathering, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and presided over by former Senate President David Mark, brought together a formidable lineup of opposition figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, and several past governors and party stalwarts.
The strategic session is part of an escalating series of consultations aimed at forging a broad-based coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. Sources at the meeting revealed that discussions focused on whether PDP leaders would fully merge into the emerging coalition party or retain their party structures while forming an electoral alliance.
Other influential attendees included former governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), and prominent party figures such as Senator Ben Obi, Josephine Anenih, Senator Austin Akobundu, Kola Ologbondiyan, and Abdullahi Maibasira.
Central to the talks is the reported adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the coalition’s political platform, with Senator David Mark tipped as interim national chairman. The official unveiling of the coalition is expected on Wednesday, signaling a major realignment in opposition politics.
This meeting follows months of intensified efforts by opposition leaders—including Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and other prominent politicians—to unite under a single banner capable of mounting a credible challenge to the APC. The coalition aims to consolidate strengths across party lines, with some leaders advocating full integration and others preferring a looser alliance to maximize electoral reach.
As Nigeria’s political class braces for the 2027 contest, the outcome of these strategic deliberations could determine the shape and strength of the opposition, setting the stage for one of the most consequential elections in the country’s history.