2027 leadership tussle: Atiku, Wike to slug it out

A fresh crisis is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as loyalists of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike have renewed hostilities.

The bone of contention is the control of the opposition party’s leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Inside sources revealed that the Atiku and Wike camps are already mobilising ahead of the April 18 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where major decisions regarding the appointment of a substantive national chairman and other critical issues will be made.

It would be the first time the NEC, the second highest organ of the party, will be meeting in the last 18 months.

Reports revealed that barring any last-minute change, major issues need to be discussed, including the appointment of a replacement for Iyorcha Ayu.

He lost his seat shortly after the 2023 general elections, following his sack as a party member by his ward in Benue State. However, he is currently challenging his ouster at the Court of Appeal.

However, while the Atiku camp is pushing for the replacement of Damagum, who has been acting as national chairman since Ayu’s ouster, Wike’s loyalists are canvasing for the acting chairman to remain in office until the next convention in December 2025.

According to one of the sources, “Atiku’s people are pushing for the NEC so as to replace Damagum. They want a non-Wike’s person from the North Central to take over.

“But Wike’s men are very entrenched in the NWC. So, they will allow a non Wike person as national chairman. There are push by some interests close to Damagum to continue as the party’s chairman, but if they are not able to push that through, they will ensure that their loyalist emerges as substantive chairman.

Another source stated that “everything is about 2025, and 2027. The calculation is that whoever is chairman will have influence in the outcome of the next convention. And the outcome of that convention will equally influence the 2027 contest.

“Basically, the two camps are strategizing and mobilising ahead of the NEC meeting so that in the event they are to make nomination for the national chairman, they want it from their various camps.”