All Progressives Congress, APC, has reacted to reports that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, are working on floating an alternative platform ahead of 2027.

Indications had earlier emerged that Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023, is considering stepping down for Obi in the next presidential election.

Speaking to BBC Hausa Service, Atiku, who said merger talks were ongoing with LP and other opposition parties, had said: “I have said repeatedly and I even said it before 2023 general elections that if PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him”.

However, Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, said the ruling party is unperturbed, saying a virile opposition is necessary for the advancement of democracy.

He said APC expects the opposition to be alive to its responsibility of providing alternative views, adding that the ruling party wishes them good luck.

He said: “It will be helpful if we have an effective and efficient opposition in the country to help to provide the alternative view. APC and Nigeria would be better for it.

“For me, we will continue to hope that opposition parties will rise to the occasion to give a formidable and constructive engagement to our political party. It is theirs to provide such opposition and it is for us in the APC to continue to take the lead.

“We wish the opposition well. We will continue to work harder to attend to the needs of the Nigerian people. We wish them good luck. We knew that about some months ago. Such a call was made and the Labour Party said they were not in any position to undertake such an unholy engagement”.

Vanguard