Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has debunked speculation that he is planning to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party for the mega platform being proposed by the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 election.

The clarification was made by his media aide, Paul Ibe when he featured Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Ibe also confirmed that aside from a former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and Atiku have also been talking to the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi.

He said, “My principal has said that he wasn’t leaving the PDP and you have to respect what he has said. I don’t need to come here to speak about it. It is an issue he has spoken of.

“There is an ongoing discussion between Atiku Abubakar and some opposition leaders like Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai. Yes, it’s out there in the open. Discussion is still ongoing. At the end of that discussion, they will come out with a position and a direction that we’re going to follow based on the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

“To also answer your question, yes, Peter Obi and Atiku are involved. And they are also talking.”

Recall that the PDP Governors Forum announced last month that the party would not form any alliance or coalition with other opposition structures.

In response, a key stakeholder of the coalition and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal also clapped back, saying the PDP was never being considered as an option.

Atiku’s rebuttal comes a few hours after the coalition described as false and misleading the report that it has adopted the African Democratic Congress as its preferred political platform.

This was disclosed in a terse statement signed by a key stakeholder of the coalition and former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, Mallam Salihu Lukman in Abuja on Thursday.