Defection of PDP Govs won’t distract us, says Atiku’s Coalition

By Tom Okpe

A National Coalition, led by Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 Presidential election, has said defections of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Governors to the All Progressives Congress, APC, will not be a distraction to it’s Agenda’.

Recall that last Wednesday, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and the entire Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, structure in the State, including the former Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, defected to the ruling Party.

Reacting to the development on Thursday, a leader of the proposed 2027 National Coalition, Salihu Moh’ Lukman, said they are not surprised by the recent development.

According to the former Director General, Progressive Governors Forum, PGF, of the APC, the Coalition is out to present a credible alternative in 2027, for Nigerians.

“The beauty of democracy is about competition, the whole initiative about the coalition is to ensure that in 2027, Nigerians are presented with options.

“We have gone far, and what has happened in terms of some Governors and leaders moving into APC is not distracting us at all. Not long, details of the coalition will be unveiled to Nigerians, and, the structure, strategy in terms of how the election will be contested will be clarified.

“You know that the situation in PDP, the Party is clearly a shadow of its self. Although we acknowledge there are people, there are leaders in PDP who are optimistic they can rescue the Party. If you remember, when the Governors issued a statement against the Coalition, what was our response,” he queried.

“Our response was that many of them are working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and shortly after that, you saw the statement from Akwa Ibom State Governor, and of course the Delta Governor.

“It’s not only him, if you check the comments, there are many more that are being expected. And on two sides, on the side of people who genuinely worry for the country, are expressing fear about a one-Party State.”

Speaking further on why the Coalition is not distracted, Lukman said: “I can tell you, we are not going to produce a new political structure that will be blind or ignorant of the character of politicians.

“Anybody coming in will be related to their past trajectory. So, if truly we want to rescue the country, we are not talking of rescuing the country as just defeating Tinubu and APC.

“We want to correct all the mistakes and shortcomings from the Muhammadu Buhari administration to the Tinubu administration, and we want to restore the aspiration of Nigerians to produce a stronger and greater country, produce leaders that we will be proud of.”

Stressing further, he said: “We want to produce a Government that everybody will see, and know that there are new leaders, truly accountable to Nigerians. We don’t want to produce another set of emperors. Whatever they do is unquestionable.”

On the status of the Coalition at the moment, Lukman said: “All I can say is that what we are doing in negotiating the coalition is to produce a united Nigeria. A leadership that will see the country at its own cost.

“We don’t want to produce a Government that will be seen as sectional, without bearing,” he added.