PDP Senate Caucus Rebuffs Atiku’s Coalition Ambitions
Internal Power Struggle Intensifies as Party Heavyweights Clash Over Opposition Strategy
In a dramatic escalation of the power tussle within Nigeria’s main opposition, the Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dealt another blow to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s coalition-building efforts, declaring that such initiatives must be party-driven rather than championed by individuals regardless of their political stature.
The rebuke, delivered Tuesday by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, marks the second major internal resistance to Atiku’s ambitious cross-party alliance strategy, following earlier opposition from PDP governors.
“Any such coalition should be driven by political parties and not individuals,” Moro stated pointedly, in what observers view as a thinly veiled attempt to rein in Atiku’s increasingly independent political maneuvering.
Dissent in the Ranks
The Senate Caucus’s stance reveals deepening fractures within the PDP, as party leaders appear increasingly concerned about Atiku’s overtures to figures outside the party framework—including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former SGF Babachir Lawal, and others.
This latest pushback suggests mounting anxiety about Atiku potentially bypassing established party structures. By emphasizing that “the PDP’s Umbrella is big enough to accommodate all persons desirous of coalition,” Moro effectively attempted to reassert the party’s primacy in opposition politics.
The timing is particularly significant given Atiku’s recent meeting with Tim Smith, acting chief of the US Mission to Nigeria a diplomatic engagement that some party insiders view as an attempt to build international legitimacy for his coalition plans independent of party backing.
Power Play Beneath the Surface
Political analysts note that the resistance from both governors and now senators represents more than mere procedural disagreement. At stake is control over the opposition’s direction ahead of the 2027 general elections and, by extension, control over the PDP itself.
Particularly revealing is Atiku’s reported approach to Peter Obi about potentially serving as his running mate for 2027 a move made apparently without formal party consultation. This signals Atiku’s willingness to forge ahead with or without the blessing of current party leadership.
Between the Lines
While couched in the language of party unity, with Moro calling on members to “rededicate, recommit and demonstrate steadfast and unwavering loyalty to the party,” the subtext appears to be a warning to Atiku and his supporters about operating outside established channels.
“Out of the throes of the current conflicts in the party will arise a renewed, vibrant party,” Moro asserted, tacitly acknowledging the internal struggle while projecting confidence about its resolution.
The confrontation exposes the challenging balancing act facing Nigeria’s opposition: building a coalition broad enough to challenge the ruling APC while maintaining cohesion within its constituent parts.
As this political drama unfolds, the question remains whether Atiku will heed these warnings or press forward with his coalition plans potentially risking further alienation from the party establishment that twice nominated him as its presidential standard-bearer.
For a party still recovering from consecutive presidential election defeats, the stakes of this internal power struggle could hardly be higher.
Reference
PDP Senate Caucus Rebuffs Atiku’s Coalition Ambitions