Ahead of the 2027 general elections, political consultations among opposition figures intensified as governors from the Peoples Democratic Party held meetings with leaders from other political movements while reconciliation efforts within the party continued to face challenges.
The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, and the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, met with Seriake Dickson and former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as discussions around political alignment ahead of the 2027 elections intensified.
The meeting was first held in Bauchi, after which Makinde and Dickson travelled to Kano where they joined Kwankwaso and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Although the gathering was officially described as part of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, sources close to the discussions indicated that the talks also involved consultations about possible political alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Meanwhile, reconciliation efforts within the PDP remain uncertain as disagreements persist between governors aligned with Makinde and supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Makinde had earlier criticised collaboration with Wike, stating that working with the minister would amount to indirectly supporting the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
He said that anyone aligning with Wike’s political group had effectively agreed to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The internal crisis within the PDP has led to the emergence of rival factions in the party. One faction conducted a national convention in Ibadan in November, electing Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and other officials into the party’s National Working Committee.
However, the process was later nullified by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that the convention violated provisions of the Electoral Act, the Nigerian Constitution, and the PDP constitution.
Following the ruling, a faction loyal to Wike established a 13-member National Caretaker Working Committee to manage the affairs of the party pending a new convention.
Despite public statements from both camps indicating willingness to reconcile, tensions remain high as the caretaker committee insists that the PDP national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30 will proceed as planned.
Political observers say the ongoing consultations among opposition leaders, including Makinde, Kwankwaso, Dickson, and Obi, could signal possible political realignments as the country gradually moves toward the 2027 general elections
