THE presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has finally dumped the party by resigning his membership.
Atiku, a former vice president under the party, tendered his resignation ahead of the 2027 general elections, which he has indicated interest to contest, and after featuring prominently in the formation of a coalition, which later adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform.
In a letter dated Monday, July 14, and addressed to PDP chairman of Jada 1 Ward in his Jada Local Council of Adamawa State, which was shared on X by his Special Assistant on Media, Abdul Rasheeth, on Wednesday, July 16, Atiku said: “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the party.
“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.
“As a founding father of this esteemed party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.”
Pointing to limited chances of PDP competing in the forthcoming elections, he stated: “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. It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.
“I wish the party and its leadership all the best in the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and support.”
His media aide, Paul Ibe, had earlier dismissed rumour about his defection, insisting his boss remained dedicated to the ideals of the party, describing the rumour as falsehoods and a politically motivated smear campaign.
In the recent past, following reports that he had abandoned the PDP to join another party in pursuit of his presidential ambitions, Atiku reiterated that he remained a committed, genuine and loyal member.
A statement from his media office said: “We ordinarily would not waste words on faceless social media platforms, like the so-called Adamawa Happenings.
“However, in light of inquiries from concerned Nigerians and credible members of the press, we are compelled to set the record straight: His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, former vice president of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the PDP, has not, we repeat, has not, resigned from the PDP. He remains a steadfast, bona-fide and loyal member of the party.
“The source of this baseless rumour is a Facebook page peddling falsehoods, evidently orchestrated by desperate political operatives with nothing, but mischief and confusion on their agenda. It is a calculated attempt to mislead the public and sow discord among the millions of Nigerians who look to Atiku Abubakar for direction and leadership.”
This is not the first time Atiku has dumped the PDP or other political parties in his bid to realise his presidential ambition since 1993.
At different times since the return of democratic rule in 1999, he had also been a member of the defunct Action Congress (AC), later Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and had contested primary elections, as well as presidential elections under these political parties, but failed.
