As politicking for the 2027 general elections enters full gear, Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have ruled out the possibility of a merger or coalition with any other political party.
The governors made their position known in a communiqué issued on Monday after their meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Discussions about forming a coalition to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been gaining traction ahead of the 2027 elections.
Also, opposition politicians have been holding “strategic meetings” in this regard.
One of the leading advocates for the coalition is Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s standard-bearer-bearer in the 2023 elections.
Abubakar has consistently pushed for a coalition among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections to unseat the APC-led government headed by President Bola Tinubu.
Immediate past Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai recently defected from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“Noting the nationwide speculations about possible merger of political parties, groups and/or associations, the Forum resolved that the PDP will not join any coalition or merger,” the communique reads.
However, the governors said the PDP welcomes any party, persons or groups that are willing to join the party to wrestle power from the APC in 2027.
The governors expressed support for Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended governor of Rivers state, saying they will continue to support him.
The PDP chieftains condemned the insecurity in the country, describing it as “alarming”.
They called for a “review and reordering of priorities and strategies including adopting a bottom-up template that guarantees the sub-nationals to constitute an effective line of defence against security breaches”.
Governors who attended the meeting were Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), and Peter Mbah (Enugu).
The governors of Akwa Ibom and Delta were represented by their deputies, Akon Eyakenyi and Monday Onyeme.
