Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has categorically ruled out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a viable platform for the emerging opposition coalition preparing for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Arise Television's The Morning Show on Wednesday, Lawal described the PDP as suffering from an "incurable virus" that no "antibiotics can cure," effectively eliminating it from consideration by the coalition stakeholders.
"In all the meetings I've attended so far, nobody has ever considered adopting the PDP. We all agree that PDP has an incurable virus. No antibiotics can cure what is ailing the PDP," Lawal stated firmly during the interview.
According to the former SGF, the coalition is currently exploring two main options: registering an entirely new political party or adopting and restructuring an existing one—with PDP explicitly excluded from consideration.
Lawal also revealed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is actively involved in the formation of this new opposition coalition. This disclosure has fueled speculation that Atiku may be preparing to exit the PDP, which has been plagued by internal leadership crises since its defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
The PDP's ongoing internal strife has been exacerbated by disputes over key leadership positions, particularly the contentious battle for the national secretary position between Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu.
Lawal assured Nigerians that the coalition would soon unveil its political platform, a move intended to provide clarity and direction for supporters eager for a unified opposition front against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election cycle.
The emerging coalition represents a significant realignment in Nigerian politics as opposition figures seek to create a formidable challenge to the ruling party in the 2027 general elections.
