Makinde: Atiku’s Coalition Talks Are Personal, Not Party-Backed

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has distanced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying the party’s leadership was neither consulted nor involved in the arrangement. Speaking on a television programme, Makinde emphasized that no organs of the PDP were aware of the merger or alliance proposed by Atiku and insisted such moves must follow due process.

Makinde said it was inappropriate for any individual, regardless of their influence within the party, to engage in coalition talks without the knowledge or backing of PDP stakeholders. He said the party leadership had no clarity on whether Atiku’s initiative served personal interests or those of the party and the Nigerian people.

Atiku had, on March 20, announced the formation of a coalition aimed at unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections. The announcement, made at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, included notable figures like former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Makinde reiterated the position of the PDP Governors’ Forum, which recently rejected any merger or alliance proposals, emphasizing that the decision followed wide consultations with party leaders. He confirmed that the meeting in Ibadan included the acting National Chairman, the National Legal Adviser, and the National Organising Secretary of the party.

He stated that while individuals within the party have the freedom to associate with others, any official coalition must be approved by the party’s leadership. According to him, the priority should be to first strengthen internal structures before considering external political alignments.

Makinde also addressed the controversy over the position of the PDP National Secretary. The Forum had resolved that Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo should act in the interim. However, Senator Samuel Anyanwu rejected the directive, insisting that he remains the party’s authentic National Secretary, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment and a Federal High Court order which, he said, bars the party from appointing a replacement.

Anyanwu accused some governors of acting against the party’s constitution and of being influenced by his perceived relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. He asserted that there is no vacancy in his position and described the actions of the governors as attempts to destabilize the PDP.

A youth group in the South-South, aligned with Anyanwu, also warned the governors against undermining the court’s decision. The group accused some PDP governors of hypocrisy, alleging that several of them are already supporting President Bola Tinubu’s reelection.

Makinde, meanwhile, dismissed speculations about his potential presidential bid in 2027. He said he remains focused on his current mandate of improving infrastructure, security, and economic development in Oyo State. He cited his administration’s progress in road construction and agribusiness as foundational to the state’s economic growth.

Highlighting his recent trip to France, the governor said he was finalizing a deal with Rungis International to establish a wholesale food market in Ijaiye, a project aligned with his administration’s agribusiness strategy. He noted that the upcoming Special Agro-Processing Zones in Eruwa and Ijaiye are also part of these long-term initiatives to drive economic transformation in the state.