By Divine Sam
With just two years until Nigeria’s 2027 presidential elections, the opposition coalition’s prospects are dimming as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffers major defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). High-profile exits—including former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and current Governor Sheriff Oborevwori—have significantly weakened the PDP’s base in the South-South, bolstering APC’s influence in Delta, Edo, and Cross River.
The coalition, spearheaded by former PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Babachir Lawal, and ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has yet to attract major political figures since its announcement.
Analysts say the movement’s struggle is rooted in deeper security and ethnic challenges. Katchi Ononuju, Director General of the Heritage Centre and a former PDP member, argues the defections are driven not by policy appeal but by growing insecurity linked to the Fulani insurgency spilling into Nigeria from the Sahel. He described the coalition as a “menagerie” unlikely to succeed against the APC without broad national inclusion.
Ononuju criticized the PDP’s refusal to respect zoning principles, claiming this alienated non-Fulani leaders like Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. “Nigerians will not support another Fulani presidency after Buhari. Many southern leaders would rather back Tinubu than see power return to Fulani politicians,” he said.
He warned of a larger political crisis if the issue of ethnic domination is not addressed, describing current alignments as a rejection of “settler colonialism” and a call for inclusive governance.
Meanwhile, Osita Okechukwu, founding member of the APC and former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, downplayed the defections as part of the democratic process. He stressed that the APC’s appeal stems from reforms under President Tinubu, including financial autonomy for local councils, regional development commissions, and increased federal allocations.
Okechukwu blamed PDP’s decline on its failure to honor power rotation agreements, especially after the 2023 presidential primaries. “Zoning was a convention for national balance. The PDP broke that, and now they’re paying the price,” he said.
He concluded by urging APC to focus on grassroots development and policy delivery rather than chasing political defections, emphasizing the importance of building a party aligned with citizens’ needs.
Leave a Reply