The Presidency has dismissed the rumoured merger of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and other opposition parties to form a mega force against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections.
Presidential candidates of the two main opposition parties, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi had last week, further fueled speculations that a merger of the parties could be in the offing when Obi paid the former vice president a private visit at his Abuja home.
Obi also met with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking more speculations about a possible alliance for the 2027 general elections.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Friday, Atiku was quoted as saying that if the PDP decided to field a presidential candidate from the South-East in the 2027 presidential election and the onus falls on Obi, he would readily offer his support.
“I have said repeatedly, and I even said it before the 2023 general elections, that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South, or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it.
“As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. I contested the 2023 presidential ticket, because it was thrown open to all members of the party.
“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East, and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku had declared
But while reacting to the rumours, the Presidency said President Bola Tinubu and the APC was not bothered about the planned alliance as the President was not losing sleep over alliance plots by Atiku and Obi.
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In a statement on Saturday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga described the plans as dead on arrival which does not in anyway give the President sleepless nights.
He also described Atiku and Obi as desperate politicians and sore losers who are still pained that they lost the 2023 election to Tinubu.
“We are only surprised that they are plotting just one year after an election they lost. They are still behaving like sore losers,” Onanuga said in the statement.
“We are not bothered by the games they are playing, as they are revealing their mindset. They are mere politicians who only think about the next election.
“President Tinubu is a true statesman who is concerned about fulfilling his promises to Nigerians to be bothered by desperados.
“At the moment, he is very busy resetting the economy of our country for the better, laying the foundation that ought to have been laid decades ago.”
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