With former Vice President Atiku Abubakar officially leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the battle for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket has begun.

Top names now being considered include:

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State

According to PDP insiders, both Makinde and Bala have shown interest in contesting and are well-recognized by key stakeholders.

The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is scheduled to meet on Thursday, July 24, where major issues like zoning (deciding whether the next candidate should come from the North or South) and plans for the party’s national convention will be discussed.

Chief Bode George, a senior PDP leader, confirmed that there are efforts to ensure the next flagbearer comes from the South. However, not all NEC members agree on the zoning issue.

Meanwhile, the ruling APC’s publicity director, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the PDP’s efforts, claiming they are bound to lose in 2027 regardless of their candidate or strategy.

At the PDP’s previous NEC meeting on June 30, Senator Samuel Anyanwu was confirmed as the new National Secretary, settling a long-standing leadership dispute.

Despite this, Atiku Abubakar and some of his allies left the PDP. They blamed unresolved internal crises for their departure.