Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has revealed that efforts to form a strong opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections have deliberately excluded the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a potential platform.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, May 21, Lawal stated that the coalition’s technical committee is currently weighing whether to form a new party or adopt and reform an existing one.
He confirmed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is a committed member of the coalition, which is being formed to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election cycle. According to Lawal, the coalition is made up of like-minded politicians united by a shared goal of unseating the APC.
When asked why the PDP was not under consideration despite Atiku’s involvement, Lawal offered a blunt assessment:
“In all the meetings I’ve attended so far, nobody has ever bothered about adopting the PDP as the platform. We all agree that the PDP has an incurable virus. No antibiotics can cure what is ailing the PDP, and we don’t want to enter a house that we cannot modify and that is not willing to change.”
Lawal also acknowledged growing public interest in the coalition’s political direction and said an official announcement would be made soon. His remarks hint at the possibility that Atiku himself may part ways with the PDP, which has struggled with internal divisions since its defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
The PDP continues to battle a prolonged leadership crisis, including a dispute over the national secretary position between Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu. Despite reconciliation efforts, internal rifts remain unresolved, weakening the party’s position as a viable opposition force.
Lawal’s comments highlight the coalition’s intent to establish a new, unified political platform that is free from the legacy issues of existing parties—potentially signaling a major realignment in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of 2027.
