Politics
PDP, LP Won’t Collapse Structures For Merger – Party Leaders
The Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party have ruled out dropping names and party structures for the 2027 general election, but would rather consider allying to unseat the current All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, and the spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election, Yunusa Tanko, indicated this in separate interviews with The PUNCH.
Weeks ago, the 2023 presidential candidate of the LP, Peter Obi, held a closed-door meeting with ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Abuja.
Obi also had separate meetings with ex-Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation of a potential merger of the two political parties ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking on the development, Abdullahi said Nigerians should be pleased that various democratic forces were coming together to save the country from those he labelled political opportunists.
In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, the PDP chieftain stressed that the interests of the PDP and other political parties involved were secondary, stating that the primary goal was to rescue Nigerians from the failing APC in 2027.
“And the interests of the PDP or other parties are not even necessary, everyone needs to come together and see how to come up with an approach that will deliver Nigeria from this treatment of poverty, despair, and despondency pervading the land.
“So the meeting of Atiku, Obi, and many others is an approach to rescuing Nigeria from this headless and maladministration of the APC. So we are not talking about merging. We are talking about forming alliances across party lines to see what in the days ahead will be the best approach to chasing these people out in 2027,” he said.
He clarified that the discussion was about allying, not a merger, adding that neither the PDP nor the LP needed to dismantle their existing structures.
“So, the important thing to understand is that alliance does not necessarily mean political parties will replace their names. No, it’s a question of forming alliances much on the single political party remaining with each name, logo, texture, and everything.
“They don’t have to necessarily collapse. You know, the parties are there for one platform. No, they could just say okay, you have followership in this party, but we’re calling you to identify with this party and run elections under this party, but you are still recognising your identified platform, but for exigency, you can just collapse your structure into this party, and first of all, win the election and then we begin to talk about how to share the responsibility.
“Not like the regular alliance APC did in 2014 to oust the PDP out of power. No, LP is not ready to relinquish its name and structure into PDP. PDP too is not willing to do the same, but the politicians in these parties are willing,” he said.
Tanko, in his comment, said any potential merger must adhere to the fundamental principles of the political parties.
He said Atiku and Obi must first develop strategies for moving forward, before involving their respective parties.
“That (merging) would take a technical level and technical vision, and the technical discussion will be done at the party level. But this particular discussion is discussed at the highest level of interest. ‘You are a presidential candidate, I am a presidential candidate, let us reason together on how to solve the problem.’
“So that will dovetail into the issue of merger, then the technical issue of political parties will be done.”
The presidential candidate’s spokesman, however, said merging of political parties requires considering the technicalities, adding that for now, it remained a discussion between two leading candidates.
“Because a merger means that people will leave their political party and be subjected to scrutiny or leave this particular banner, the logo, and their names and adopt new names, logos, and others.
“But an alliance means that you just work together and meet with each other. This is your strength, this is my strength. Let’s do it together and see how it works.
“So, two things happen. Let the leaders first of all agree on that, after which they can drag their political parties into it,” he said.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
The Assembly cited eight specific allegations of gross misconduct as the basis for the move.
This is the third time Fubara and Odu would be facing impeachment proceedings from the Assembly since coming to office in 2023.
Attempts to impeach them in 2023 and 2025, amid political feuds between the Governor and his predecessor and erstwhile political god-father, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been halted by presidential intervention.
Here are the allegations below:
1. Reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds
2. Unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds
3. Hindering the Rivers Assembly from performing its constitutional duties
4. Illegal appointments of persons without screening by the House of Assembly as provided by the Constitution
5. Seizure of salaries and funds meant for Assembly members
6. Seizure of salaries of the clerk of the Rivers House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi
7. Refusal to implement provisions of the Constitution on financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary
8. Withholding of funds meant for the running of the Rivers House of Assembly Service Commission and hindering its activities
Lilian Adebayo, the wife of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, has said that the party will unseat the ruling All Progressive Party at the 2027 election if Nigerians are true to themselves.
Mrs Adebayo made this assertion known on Wednesday during an interview with journalists after an event in Abuja.
According to her, the opposition party has overcome its crisis after the expulsion of its former chairman, Shehu Gabam and others.
She said Nigerians should vote the APC out in the 2027 general election due to the hardship the party has plunged citizens into.
“There is always a crisis in the party; the SPD has been able to handle its own. The problems in the party have been resolved.
“He has a great chance of winning the election if Nigerians are honest with themselves. If Nigerians think that the ones they consistently vote for would move the country forward, they live in denial,” she concerning the husband.
Recall that SDP recently expelled Gabam and other party executives.
The party’s state chairmen on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to investigate Gabam over alleged misappropriation.
In a significant political move, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Mbah announced his decision during a televised broadcast in Enugu after weeks of speculation.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Mbah explained that his decision to join the PDP was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
Ahead of the governor’s defection, all members of his cabinet had on joined the ruling party.
Governor Mbah’s Senior Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, confirmed the mass defection in a video posted on his social media handles on Monday. In the video, several government officials were seen openly declaring their allegiance to the APC, chanting praises for President Bola Tinubu and affirming their commitment to the new party.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh stated.
The officials, including commissioners and top aides, could be heard in the video declaring, “We are now in APC; tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The collective defection marks a significant political shift in Enugu State, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999.
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