Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar appears to have drawn a battle line with state governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) platform, as well as party officials who oppose his bid to form a coalition with other political parties against the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Despite Atiku’s persistence on forming a coalition, thinking it is the only way to defeat the APC in 2027, the PDP has flatly rejected the idea.
The PDP claims that it is powerful enough to dethrone the APC and that all it needs to do is clean up its act.
In this regard, it set up a reconciliation committee headed by a former President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.
On Friday, Atiku visited Osun State and refused to meet with the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and the party’s state leaders.
PDP officials yesterday saw the former Vice President’s actions as a declaration of hostility.
“He has drawn the battle line because our governors are not with him in his move to forge a coalition and then run for president as usual,” a source in the PDP national secretariat told our correspondent yesterday.
The former vice president and his coalition supporters are scheduled to meet in Abuja today to continue discussions about the next steps.
The platform that will be used for the 2027 election is at the top of the agenda for the conference.
The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, who is widely thought to be Atiku’s potential running mate in 2027, stated yesterday that he still intends to contest the race on the LP platform, implying that he is unlikely to join the alliance.
According to political sources, Gov. Adeleke may have aroused Atiku’s wrath as a result of his (the governor’s) stance on the coalition being fostered for the former Vice President’s 2027 presidential campaign.
Atiku had travelled to the state to witness the coronation of the new Owa of Ijesaland, HRH Adesuyi Haastrup.
He also declined to meet with the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Chairman, Sunday Bisi, and other state officials.
Instead, he paid a polite call on former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, his new coalition partner.
According to the findings, Atiku’s icy manner stunned Adeleke and other PDP members in the state.
According to reports, the ex-VP was displeased by the governor’s lack of strong commitment to his 2027 ambition and thus opted to draw the battle line with him early in the day.
Political watchers in the state feel Atiku may have made a mistake because, in addition to being a sitting governor, Adeleke’s popularity in the state is at an all-time high, while Aregbesola’s influence is fading.
A senior government official, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “the ex-VP shocked the governor and PDP members by not notifying the state government of his visit. He did not pay a courtesy call on the governor, and there was no notice to the state chapter of PDP of his coming.
“It is convenient for him to call his shuttle a private visit, but as the former VP, he is under our care.
“It is a slight to shun the governor and visit Aregbesola in Ilesha. The message is clear to all. He has something up his sleeves.”
