The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pointed a firm finger at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of lighting the fuse that blew open the deepening leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a hard-hitting interview on TVC, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, declared that Atiku’s refusal to honour the PDP’s zoning principle — which should have handed the 2023 presidential ticket to a southern candidate — was the turning point that fractured the opposition party from within.
“He had no business running,” Morka said bluntly. “Under their own constitution and rotational agreement, it was the South’s turn. But Atiku’s stubborn ambition overrode the rules. That’s what broke the PDP.”
The fallout has been seismic. Just days ago, Atiku’s 2023 running mate and former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, jumped ship to the APC. He wasn’t alone. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori followed, triggering reports that two more PDP governors and over 40 lawmakers are preparing to defect.
As the PDP struggles to contain the exodus, Morka insists the APC isn’t responsible for pulling the strings. “We’re not the ones weakening the opposition,” he said. “They are crumbling under the weight of their own contradictions. Meanwhile, the APC remains unshaken — strong despite all pressures.”
With defections mounting and finger-pointing intensifying, Nigeria’s opposition party faces a make-or-break reckoning — one some say was set in motion the day Atiku chose to run.