Top political heavyweights in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have raised alarm over the declining state of the party and worsening national conditions under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Meeting under the banner of Concerned PDP Leaders, the high-profile gathering took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, culminating in the release of a bold communiqué titled “The Game Is On.”
The closed-door meeting, which included some of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s democratic journey, was attended by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, former Governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido, former Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu, former Minister of Police Affairs Adamu Waziri, former Governor of Sokoto State Attahiru Bafarawa, former PDP National Chairman Ahmed Makarfi, former Governor of Kebbi State Adamu Aliero, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former FCT Minister Bala Mohammed, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, former Governor of Katsina State Ibrahim Shema, and former Information Minister Prof. Jerry Gana, among others.
These leaders expressed deep concern over what they described as a “chaotic and undisciplined” PDP leadership and the oppressive tactics of the APC-led federal government. They warned that unless urgent steps are taken, the founding vision of the PDP and the future of Nigerian democracy are at grave risk.
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In the communiqué, the group accused the APC government of deploying state institutions to undermine democracy, weaponizing anti-corruption rhetoric to blackmail opposition figures, and unleashing a political climate that has forced many PDP members out through threats and inducements.
They lamented that the PDP, once Africa’s biggest political party and a global model for democratic governance, has lost its internal cohesion and moral authority. The leaders said the failure to uphold the party’s constitution and enforce discipline has made the PDP a shadow of its former self.
Painting a grim picture of the national condition, the group described Nigeria under APC rule as a failed state, with skyrocketing insecurity, collapsing infrastructure, mass poverty, and a battered international reputation. They called for a united front of well-meaning PDP members and patriotic Nigerians to form a broad-based rescue coalition that would return the country to competent, people-focused governance.
As the 2027 elections looms, the meeting signals the opening of a new political chapter, one that could redefine the future of the PDP and rekindle opposition momentum across Nigeria, possibly forming a coalition with other forces to unseat the APC.
