Atiku Abubakar Resigns from PDP, Cites Departure from Party Ideals

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a platform he helped found in 1998.

In a letter dated July 14 and addressed to the party chairman in his Jada 1 Ward, Adamawa State, Atiku said his decision takes immediate effect.

“I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for,” he wrote. “It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognizing the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.”

Atiku, who served as Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007, thanked the PDP for offering him the platform to serve and to contest the presidency in 2019 and 2023. He also ran for president under the Action Congress in 2007 and has switched political parties several times during his career.

His exit marks another chapter in his long quest for the presidency, having contested six times under the SDP, PDP, AC, and APC. Though he returned to the PDP in 2017, Atiku grew increasingly frustrated with the party’s internal crises, poor post-election strategies, and unresolved zoning disputes following its 2023 loss to the APC.

Insiders say Atiku had become disillusioned with the leadership’s inability to reposition the PDP as a credible opposition. In 2024, he began building alliances across party lines, leading to the formation of a new opposition coalition. While he hasn’t officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), he is seen as the coalition’s central figure, pushing for electoral reforms and party democracy.

The PDP has yet to respond officially, but senior officials admit the resignation is a blow and could trigger further defections ahead of 2027.

At 78, Atiku remains one of Nigeria’s most enduring political figures, known for his influence, wealth, and persistent ambition to lead the nation.

About The Author

Osmek News

See author's posts