Atiku Abubakar was the 2023 PDP Presidential Canada
Lagos PDP stalwart, Prince Laja Adeoye, has declared that the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not spell doom for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but will instead pave the way for a more robust party ahead of the 2027 elections.
In an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, Adeoye, a contender for the House of Representatives seat in Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency, shared his views on the development.
Atiku, who ran as PDP’s presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023, announced his resignation from the party on Wednesday, citing unresolved internal conflicts.
While Atiku has not officially confirmed joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a coalition of opposition figures under his leadership has chosen the ADC as their platform for the 2027 elections.
Commenting on the move, Adeoye stated that Atiku’s departure would foster peace within the PDP.
He argued that the former vice president’s relentless presidential aspirations had previously disrupted the party’s stability.
“The PDP will not collapse because one individual leaves. This isn’t Atiku’s first exit, and the party has always endured,” Adeoye remarked.
“The PDP is restructuring and will emerge stronger for 2027. Many who have moved to the ADC will eventually return when they see the PDP’s growing strength and realize the ADC lacks a viable path.”
While expressing no opposition to coalitions, Adeoye emphasized that any successful alliance must be led by the PDP, describing it as Africa’s largest political party. He dismissed alternatives as “futile efforts.”
The coalition includes prominent figures like Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi, among others.
