In a resounding dismissal, major political parties have rebuffed the merger proposal put forth by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Atiku’s suggestion aimed at forming a grand coalition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming 2027 general election faced cold reception from several quarters.
Formerly eyeing the presidency through a legal battle that proved unsuccessful, Atiku expressed concerns about Nigeria moving towards a one-party state during a meeting with Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) leaders. Despite the backing of former PDP deputy national chairman Bode George, prominent opposition parties dismissed the idea of a merger.
Bode George, advocating for the merger on a television program, proposed that Atiku, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) should lead the coalition.
He argued that combining the scores of these three opposition candidates in the 2023 election would have prevented the APC from returning to power.
However, the Labour Party swiftly clarified its stance, stating that it is not interested in a merger arrangement with another political party.
While acknowledging the need for opposition parties to collaborate against a one-party system, the party emphasized that it has not discussed the way forward after the 2023 election.
The two factions of the NNPP also rejected Atiku’s call for a merger.
One faction insisted that it would only consider the proposal if Atiku supported ceding the presidential ticket to them, while the other faction disassociated itself from any merger talks, asserting its commitment to independence.
Former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Remo Omokri, criticized the rejection of the merger arrangement, deeming it “incredibly unwise.”
He warned the Labour Party that embracing such a merger is crucial for its presidential candidate to stand a chance in the 2027 election.
In response, the APC dismissed Atiku’s fears of a one-party dictatorship, asserting that his concerns stem from the wide acceptance of the APC among Nigerians.
The party urged Atiku to concentrate on reviving the PDP and leave the APC out of their predicament while welcoming the charge for opposition political parties to unite for effective opposition politics.
