Key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, and PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, have reportedly abandoned the party amid ongoing crises. They have formed a new coalition aimed at defeating President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the next election.
The development came after a closed-door meeting held by a group calling themselves the Concerned Leaders of the PDP in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting also featured former governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), among other senior party members.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the leaders expressed deep frustration with the APC government, describing it as a “disaster” for Nigeria. They said the APC came to power with false promises of saving the country from PDP but had instead worsened the nation’s problems. They lamented the collapse of development and the poor quality of life Nigerians now endure.
The group also criticised the PDP’s current state, saying the party, once known for its discipline and capacity to lead Nigeria, had become a “shadow of its old self.” They blamed APC’s threats, blackmail, and patronage for causing elected PDP officers to abandon the party.
The coalition leaders called on all PDP members and patriotic Nigerians to join their new alliance in order to rescue Nigeria from what they described as APC’s failed leadership.
This marks a major shift in the Nigerian political landscape as some of the PDP’s biggest names turn their backs on the party they once led, aiming to present a united front against the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
