2027: Sokoto PDP backs Tinubu’s re-election bid

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State has declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition, disclosing that it is negotiating a political alliance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) through the Nyesom Wike-led Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Abubakar Abdullahi Sokoto, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s secretariat along Bodinga Road, Sokoto metropolis.

Abdullahi said the proposed arrangement was aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election, declaring that the PDP in Sokoto had no alternative presidential candidate apart from the incumbent president.

“Our position is to work towards President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition through the Rainbow Coalition, which we consider a strategic political platform for cooperation between interested PDP stakeholders and the ruling APC,” he said.

He, however, maintained that the alliance would not require the PDP to abandon its political structure or candidates contesting elective positions in the state.

According to him, the party would continue to mobilise support and campaign for its candidates in the 2027 elections.

“We are not abandoning our party structure or our candidates. We will continue to mobilise, canvass and campaign aggressively for PDP candidates seeking elective positions across Sokoto State in 2027,” he said.

Abdullahi explained that in areas where PDP candidates might lack sufficient electoral support, party members and supporters could be encouraged to support APC candidates in line with the coalition arrangement.

“Where our candidates may not have the necessary electoral strength or sufficient support, our members and supporters could be encouraged to support APC candidates as part of the political understanding under the Rainbow Coalition,” he stated.

He said the arrangement was intended to strengthen political cooperation and improve the electoral prospects of parties and individuals involved in the coalition.

Abdullahi added that the Rainbow Coalition remained open to political groups, organisations and individuals willing to identify with its objectives, irrespective of their party affiliations.

“The Rainbow Coalition is open to everybody, political groups, organisations and individuals who share our vision and are prepared to identify with its objectives, irrespective of their political backgrounds,” he said.

The PDP governorship candidate also appealed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to reconsider his presidential ambition and support Tinubu’s re-election bid by joining the emerging alliance.

“I want to appeal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to reconsider his position and join this emerging political understanding rather than pursue an opposition agenda against President Tinubu’s second-term ambition,” he said.

He argued that the proposed alliance provided an opportunity for broader consultations and political cooperation, urging political leaders to prioritise collective interests over partisan differences.

The declaration signals a possible political realignment in Sokoto State, where the PDP is seeking to combine its independent ambitions in state elections with support for Tinubu’s presidential bid.

However, the extent to which the proposed arrangement will shape the party’s electoral strategy at the state and national levels remains unclear as consultations continue.

The development also raises questions about the PDP’s opposition role in Sokoto and the implications of the Rainbow Coalition for the party’s relationship with the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.