Atiku’s SDP Talks Collapse, PDP Tensions Rise Ahead of 2027
ABUJA, Nigeria—Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s bid to forge a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027 crumbled on April 14, 2025, intensifying rifts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), party insiders and analysts confirmed. The failed talks, meant to unite opposition figures like Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai, sparked accusations of betrayal among PDP governors, with #AtikuExit trending at 120,000 posts on X. As Nigeria grapples with a naira at N1,635/$1 and 40% inflation, the PDP’s disarray threatens its opposition role, as of April 15, 2025.
Coalition Dreams Derailed: What Happened?
Atiku’s April 10 push for an SDP-led alliance, announced after El-Rufai’s APC defection, aimed to merge PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP forces, per Daily Post. Talks collapsed when SDP’s Adewale Adebayo rejected Atiku’s terms, citing ideological clashes, per TV360 Nigeria. “Atiku wanted control, SDP wanted integrity,” said analyst Dr. Tunde Lawal. PDP governors, led by Bala Mohammed, slammed the move as “disloyal,” vowing to rebuild PDP alone at their April 14 Ibadan summit, per politicsnigeria.com. X posts (#PDPCrisis, 90,000) labeled Atiku’s plan “a desperate flop.”
PDP’s Internal War: Governors vs. Atiku
The fallout deepened PDP’s fractures. Governors like Seyi Makinde and Ahmadu Fintiri accused Atiku of undermining the party, citing his 2023 loss to Tinubu, per Vanguard. Bode George warned on April 14 that Atiku’s 2027 ticket bid could “kill PDP,” pushing southern zoning, per Legit.ng. Atiku’s camp, including aide Phrank Shaibu, countered that governors fear his influence, per Daily Post. “They’re scared of a united opposition,” Shaibu said. #Atiku2027 posts (60,000) split between loyalists and critics, with @NaijaVoice tweeting, “PDP’s fighting itself, not APC.” Wike’s silence, amid Rivers’ emergency rule, adds fuel, per sources.
Economic Backdrop: Nigeria’s Pain Amps Stakes
The drama unfolds as Nigerians face rice at N100,000 per bag, fuel at N950/litre, and Trump’s tariffs cutting $200 million in exports, per NBS. A N659 billion stock market dip and 53% youth unemployment, per NBS, drive protests in Abuja. “PDP’s mess distracts from our hunger,” said trader Musa Bello, echoing #FixNigeria posts (110,000). Tinubu’s reforms, like Dangote Refinery’s N940/litre petrol, gain traction, while PDP’s chaos risks ceding ground. “Opposition needs focus, not fights,” Lawal said, noting 95 million in poverty, per World Bank.
SDP’s Stance: A Clean Slate
SDP’s Adebayo, on April 14, distanced the party from mergers, touting a “clean slate” for 2027, per Legit.ng. El-Rufai, accused by NNPP’s Buba Galadima as Atiku’s “placeholder,” denied coalition ties, focusing on SDP’s youth platform, per Daily Post. Obi’s Labour Party also stayed mum, with aides reaffirming his 2023 base, per TV360 Nigeria. #SDP2027 posts (40,000) praise the party’s independence but doubt its clout. “SDP can’t carry Nigeria alone,” tweeted @PoliticalSage, reflecting skepticism.
PDP’s Path Forward: Unity or Ruin?
PDP’s May NEC meeting looms, but five governors reportedly eye APC or SDP alliances, per The Guardian. Atiku’s defiance—insisting coalitions are “people-driven,” per X posts—clashes with Mohammed’s “PDP-first” stance, per politicsnigeria.com. With Plateau’s 51 deaths and Borno’s bombs, per Reuters, insecurity overshadows politicking. #PDPUnity posts (50,000) plead for truce, but Lawal warns: “A split PDP hands Tinubu 2027.” As Nigeria hungers for leadership, can PDP heal, or will Atiku’s gambit bury its hopes?
