FORMER Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has officially resigned from the party, marking a significant blow to Nigeria’s main opposition platform.
The development was confirmed through a letter dated Monday, July 14, 2025, sighted by News Point Nigeria on Wednesday.
The letter, addressed to the PDP Chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, was signed by Atiku himself and marked as received.
The letter was shared publicly by one of Abubakar’s media aides, confirming weeks of speculation about his looming departure amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Abubakar’s exit follows his public support and participation in the formation of a new political coalition, the Alliance Democratic Congress (ADC), a platform many believe he intends to use for another presidential run, which would be his sixth attempt at the presidency.
As of press time, the PDP had not issued an official response. Multiple calls to the party’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, were unanswered.
This is not the first time Atiku has left the PDP. In February 2014, he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he contested the party’s presidential primary but lost to Muhammadu Buhari.
He later returned to the PDP ahead of the 2019 elections, won the party’s presidential ticket, but was defeated again by Buhari in the general election.
His 2023 candidacy was marred by deep internal divisions within the PDP, notably the emergence of the G-5 Governors and a splinter faction led by Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which undermined party unity.
Despite securing 6,984,520 votes and winning 12 states, including Adamawa, Osun, Gombe, and Kaduna and he came second in the 2023 polls.
Atiku’s departure is seen as a further weakening of the PDP, which has already lost significant ground in recent months.
Two serving governors and several lawmakers have defected or distanced themselves from the party in the past seven months, raising fears about its viability ahead of the next election cycle.
Speaking on the implications of Atiku’s resignation, political analyst Abubakar Junaid remarked: “We’ve often said the PDP is dead, but Atiku’s exit is the final nail in the coffin.
“He’s taking millions of loyal supporters with him to the ADC.”
He added that the party’s troubles trace back to its failure to adhere to its internal zoning arrangement in 2023.
“If the PDP had insisted on zoning the presidency to the South in 2023, the internal crisis and eventual breakup could have been avoided.”
Atiku’s ambition to become Nigeria’s president remains undeterred.
From 1992 to 2025, he has either contested in primaries or appeared on the ballot in almost every election cycle.
Political commentator, Ifeanyi Maduako wrote: “Atiku is tired of being called a former vice president.
He wants the title ‘President Atiku Abubakar’ even if for 24 hours, much like Chief Obafemi Awolowo reportedly once craved.”
“Since 1992, he has refused to be a spectator in any general election. Whether age or history catches up with him remains to be seen.”
With the 2027 elections approaching and a new platform in hand, Atiku’s move signals the start of what promises to be another intense and potentially polarizing electoral season.