Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has officially resigned from the opposition party, ending a long and storied political journey with the platform he helped to establish.
Atiku, in a letter dated Monday, July 14, 2025, addressed to the PDP chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, said he was left with no choice but to quit the party due to what he described as “irreconcilable differences” and a deviation from the founding ideals of the PDP.
His resignation comes as the country begins political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Atiku, who has been reportedly involved in forming a new political coalition, the Alliance Democratic Congress, hinted that the crisis within the PDP had reached a point where staying on would no longer serve any meaningful political purpose.
“I am writing to formally resign my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect,” Atiku stated in the letter.
The former Vice President expressed deep appreciation for the opportunities the party gave him, especially allowing him to serve as Vice President between 1999 and 2007 under the Obasanjo administration, and twice as the PDP’s presidential candidate.
“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,” he wrote.
“As a founding father of this esteemed party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.”
Atiku lamented that the PDP, once regarded as the party that brought together Nigeria’s brightest political minds, had now strayed from its core values. He said the internal disunity and persistent leadership crisis had greatly undermined the party’s ability to offer credible opposition or compete effectively in future elections.
“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.”
While he wished the party and its leadership well, his exit appears to mark the end of an era for the PDP, a party that has struggled in recent years to regain national dominance after losing the presidency in 2015.
Interestingly, Atiku’s resignation comes after months of denial by his media team. As recently as last month, his spokesman, Paul Ibe, had dismissed reports of a planned defection, calling such claims “false and politically motivated.”
“Atiku Abubakar has not — we repeat, has not — resigned from the PDP. He remains a steadfast, bona fide, and loyal member of the party,” Ibe had said in a statement that accused political opponents of sponsoring misinformation.
However, with the release of the resignation letter, the denials have now been overtaken by events. Though his next political move is yet to be formally announced, many insiders say the launch of the Alliance Democratic Congress signals Atiku’s determination to remain in the race for the 2027 presidency — this time outside the platform that shaped much of his political identity.
Atiku’s departure from the PDP is expected to send shockwaves through the party and could lead to more defections, especially among those frustrated with the party’s inability to resolve internal conflicts and present a united front ahead of upcoming elections.
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