THE Peoples Democratic Party has clarified that it has not yet made any official decision regarding the 2027 Coalition movement seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement released on Thursday, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the party is currently concentrating on preparations for its upcoming National Convention.
The PDP has been grappling with internal crises since the 2023 presidential election, which intensified in 2024 following disputes over the National Secretary position.
The issue was eventually resolved in favour of Samuel Anyanwu during the party’s 100th National Executive Committee meeting held on Monday.
Despite this resolution, the party has witnessed defections to other political platforms, with some members pledging allegiance to a newly unveiled coalition led by the African Democratic Congress.
Earlier, on April 15, PDP governors meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, declared that the party would not participate in any coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Aligning with this, the PDP National Working Committee, under the leadership of the acting National Chairman, reiterated that while the party is open to receiving defectors from other parties, it is not interested in joining a coalition.
However, this position contrasts with the actions of key PDP figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President, Interim National Chairman of ADC, David Mark, and former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido, who have called on party members and Nigerians to support the emerging ADC-led coalition.
This call was made through a communiqué signed by Mark following a coalition strategy meeting on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
While some of these leaders have already exited the PDP, others have indicated a willingness to collaborate with the ADC while still remaining in the party.
In response, PDP acting National Chairman Umar Damagum insisted the party remains intact and warned that appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken against members attempting to destabilise the party.
Reacting, Ologunagba stated, “The attention of the National Working Committee of PDP has been drawn to a misrepresentative report in a section of the social media claiming that the PDP had directed its members to join the Coalition Group.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC states in clear terms that the PDP has not taken any official position on the issue of the Coalition.
“The PDP is for now focused on building and consolidating on attained unity, stability and strengthening of its structures and capacity to play its roles as the leading opposition Party determined to return to power in 2027.”
The PDP has assured that it is actively putting necessary structures in place to restore the party’s winning momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Our Party is currently working conscientiously towards a successful National Convention, which will further revamp and reposition the PDP for the task ahead.
“Nevertheless, as a major opposition Party with a very strong presence and bond with Nigerians across the country, the PDP restates that it remains open to working with other well-meaning, like-minded citizens in the collective effort to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the rudderless and insensitive All Progressives Congress-led administration”, he concluded.