Galadima Pushes For Atiku’s Entry Into NDC Ahead Of 2027 Polls

A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Buba Galadima, has publicly called on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to join the party, warning that any failure to consolidate opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections could be laid at his door if he refuses.

Galadima made the appeal during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, where he said prominent opposition figures were already converging under the NDC to build a credible platform against the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“Key opposition figures had begun aligning under the NDC to create a formidable front,” he said, framing the party as the emerging vehicle for opposition consolidation ahead of the polls.

The NDC chieftain also raised concerns that the current administration could deploy legal instruments to weaken opposition efforts, making unity within a single platform not just strategic but necessary.

Galadima was direct in assigning responsibility, stating that should Atiku decline the invitation and the opposition consequently fail to present a united front, the former Vice-President would bear the burden of that outcome. He noted, however, that the choice ultimately belongs to Atiku.

The appeal comes against the backdrop of a fragmented Nigerian opposition landscape, where the Peoples Democratic Party — Atiku’s longtime political home — has struggled to regroup following back-to-back presidential election defeats in 2019 and 2023. Atiku, who has contested the presidency six times without success, has not publicly responded to Galadima’s overture.

The NDC, though a relatively minor party on the national stage, has positioned itself as a potential rallying point for opposition actors dissatisfied with the current options ahead of 2027.