Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing irreconcilable differences and concerns over the party’s current direction.
In a letter dated July 14, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of his PDP Ward — Jada 1 in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State — Atiku said the party has deviated from the founding ideals that brought them together.
“I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect,” the letter read.
“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.
“However, 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.
Atiku expressed gratitude to the party for past opportunities, saying he wishes PDP and its leadership well going forward.
A Familiar Political Path
Atiku, who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 and 2023 general elections. He lost both contests — first to Muhammadu Buhari and later to President Bola Tinubu.
This marks yet another departure from the PDP for the former Vice President. He had previously left the party to pursue his ambition on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007. He later returned to the PDP but would again exit to join the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 polls. After backing Buhari to victory in that election, he returned to the PDP in 2017 to contest in the 2019 and 2023 races.
