Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has disclosed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is preparing to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okowa, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, made the revelation during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, shortly after formally joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday.
He referred to Atiku’s recent involvement in a March 2023 coalition announcement—alongside Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others—as a clear signal of moves toward forming a united opposition bloc to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Reflecting on the 2023 election, Okowa expressed regret over not aligning with the sentiment in southern Nigeria for a southern presidential candidate, saying, “Even during the campaign, I could sense that our people did not want another northerner in power. But the party had already made its decision, and I was nominated. In hindsight, I believe I should have listened to my people.”
He pointed to the victory of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in Delta State as evidence of the people’s continued trust in his leadership.
“The people stood by me and supported the governor I endorsed. That spoke volumes about their confidence in us,” he said.
Addressing his communication with Atiku before leaving the PDP, Okowa stated, “I did inform him that we were holding stakeholder meetings and that the outcome would determine our next steps. We were no longer comfortable in the PDP.”
He added, “From the conversations I’ve had with him, it’s clear he’s also on his way out. Nigerians already have a sense of this.”
