Atiku dismisses defection reports, calls for coalition of opposition parties

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has refuted reports suggesting he is planning to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In a statement on Saturday, Atiku’s media office dismissed the claims as “fallacious” and urged Nigerians to disregard them. The statement reaffirmed that Atiku remains a committed member of the PDP.

“We wish to clarify that the so-called news of Atiku defecting to another party is a total fallacy that holds no merit in logic,” the statement read.

The former vice president has consistently advocated for a coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to his media office, the coalition aims to unite all opposition forces, including the PDP, to strengthen efforts to unseat the APC.

“It is fallacious and unfounded to allege that the Waziri is jumping the PDP ship,” the statement added. “Such an allegation contradicts the objective of the grand coalition that Atiku is driving alongside other prominent political leaders.”

Atiku’s camp further claimed that the defection rumors were a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians about the growing momentum of the opposition coalition.

“We wish to state unequivocally that Atiku remains a principal bonafide member of the PDP, the main opposition party,” the media office stated.