{"id":3728,"date":"2023-12-04T07:39:05","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T07:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citywatch.ng\/?p=3728"},"modified":"2025-03-12T13:00:05","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T13:00:05","slug":"pdp-crisis-deepens-as-atiku-sets-to-relaunch-2027-presidential-ambition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citywatch.ng\/?p=3728","title":{"rendered":"PDP Crisis deepens as Atiku sets to relaunch 2027 presidential ambition\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are strong indications that the crisis currently rocking the Peopled Democratic Party (PDP) may not end any time soon as Atiku Abubakar is set to relaunch his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.<\/p>\n

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Atiku, a former Vice President, had lost to President Bola Tinubu at the 2023 polls.<\/p>\n

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Subsequently, his petitions against Tinubu\u2019s victory were dismissed by both the election tribunal and Supreme Court.<\/p>\n

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Atiku, who is strongly believed to be warming up already for the 2027 race, is currently plotting to retain his grip on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Politics Nigeria understands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It was gathered that since Atiku lost his election petition against President Tinubu in the Supreme Court, he has shifted his attention to 2027 presidency.<\/div>\n
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But Atiku and his loyalists are uncomfortable with the party\u2019s acting national chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, who they accused of being loyal to FCT minister, Nyesom Wike and his G-5 faction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Attempts to remove Damagum by Atiku\u2019s camp has so far been unsuccessful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: \u201cHaving lost the last Presidential Election, Atiku is plotting to have a firm grip of the PDP to be able to contest again in 2027. He still believes that he has a better chance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThat is the main reason why he is yet to relocate to Dubai in the UAE. Contrary to his claim, he is not protecting any democracy in the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe former VP and his team recognised that his major setback in the last election was not being able to totally control the PDP structure. There was internal dissent in the party but without sanctions.<\/div>\n
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He used what I would describe as a make-shift PDP structure for the last presidential election.<\/p>\n

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“During the campaign and the general election, the party was weak, and after the poll, the party was not strong enough to assail him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe Atiku camp is unhappy with Damagum for pandering to the whims and caprices of PDP leaders like Wike.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAtiku\u2019s major obstacle is that the party\u2019s leadership is being controlled by two groups, including Wike\/the G-5 and the PDP Governors\u2019 Forum, which is headed by Governor Bala Mohammed, who may challenge him for the party\u2019s ticket for 2027 poll,\u201d the source added.<\/div>\n
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