Former Vice President and two-time presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has formally resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), bringing to a close his long-standing association with the political party he helped establish.
With this resignation, Atiku has left the party that made him VP for the third time. He first resigned from the party as a sitting vice president in 2006, then in 2014 and in 2025. Atiku is expected to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in Jada 1 Ward, Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Atiku expressed deep gratitude for the opportunities the party had afforded him, including his two terms as Vice President between 1999 and 2007, and his multiple presidential candidacies.
“As a founding father of this esteemed Party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision,” Atiku wrote. “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.”
The former Vice President stated that irreconcilable differences with the direction of the party had compelled his decision, despite his personal emotional connection and contributions to the PDP over the decades.
Atiku concluded his letter by wishing the party and its leadership well in their future endeavors.
The resignation is likely to send shockwaves through the political landscape, particularly within the PDP, where Atiku has long been a central figure. It remains to be seen what his next political move will be.