Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ending a decades-long association with the party he helped to build.
In a heartfelt letter dated July 14, 2025, addressed to the PDP Chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa State, Abubakar described the decision as “heart-breaking” but necessary, citing irreconcilable differences within the party and a deviation from its founding principles.
Atiku, who served as Nigeria’s vice president from 1999 to 2007 under the PDP-led government, was also the party’s presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023. He expressed gratitude for the opportunities the party afforded him throughout his political journey.
“It is with a heavy heart that I write to formally resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, effective immediately,” he stated. “Serving two full terms as vice president of Nigeria and representing this great party as a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most fulfilling chapters of my political life.”
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However, Abubakar lamented that the PDP, once a symbol of national unity and democratic ideals, has taken a direction that is at odds with the vision and values upon which it was founded.
“As a founding member of the PDP, this decision does not come lightly. But the current trajectory of the party—marked by internal divisions, lack of strategic direction, and abandonment of its original mission—leaves me no choice but to walk away,” he wrote.
While Abubakar stopped short of directly attacking any individual or faction within the PDP, his reference to “irreconcilable differences” appears to reflect long-standing grievances about the party’s leadership, zoning controversies, and internal disputes that have plagued it in recent years.
He concluded his letter by extending best wishes to the PDP and its leadership, stating, “I wish the party continued success. Thank you once again for the opportunities and support you have provided over the years.”
NAN
