Atiku absent as Tinubu’s minister Wike and PDP leaders including governors meet in Abuja (Photos)

The meeting took place at the Bauchi State Governors’ lodge in Asokoro, Abuja on Sunday.

The meeting was the first since one of the PDP governors, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, dumped the opposition party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Those in attendance included Governor Ademola Adeleke (Osun); Governor Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau); Governor Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Governor Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Governor Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Governor Peter Mbah (Enugu); Governor Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Governor Kefas Agbu (Taraba).

Some of the former governors present were Ahmed Makarfi; Seriake Dickson; Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Achike Udenwa; Liyel Imoke; Ifeanyi Ugwanyi (Enugu); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Idris Wada (Kogi) Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Adamu Muazu (Bauchi); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto); Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Abubakar Bukola Saraki (Kwara); Sule Lamido (Jigawa), and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe).

The party’s NWC members at the meeting were acting national chairman Amb. Umar Damagum; National Organizing Secretary, Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser, Kamardeen Ajibade.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was absent.

While the outcome of the meeting is yet to be known as of press time, it was gathered that the party leaders deliberate on strategies for unifying the party and curbing the defections to strengthen its standing ahead of the 2027 elections.

They also discussed critical issues ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for May 27, as well as the potential for a convention in August.

There are growing concerns within the party that the May 27 NEC meeting may be disrupted or even cancelled, which could, in turn, jeopardise the planned August convention if key matters are not addressed swiftly.

This anxiety has been compounded by the recent depletion of the party’s ranks, following the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP structure in the state to the ruling APC.

At its April 14, 2025, meeting, the PDP Governors Forum meeting resolved among others that it would not support the idea of forming a coalition against the ruling party in the 2027 election.

The governors said that as a major opposition party, the PDP would welcome any party, association, or group willing to join it, with a view to wrestling power and enthroning good leadership in 2027.

But Wike shortly after the Ibadan meeting granted an interview in which he openly declared his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The “Delta defections,” as some PDP stalwarts now describe them, were followed by another wave of defections, with lawmakers in Jigawa State and other party members leaving for the APC.

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All three PDP senators from Kebbi State are reportedly set to join the APC, while it is rumoured that the governors of Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa, as well as the only PDP governor in the Southeast, may also defect to the APC.