Former Vice President and Media Mogul Says PDP Has Lost Its Way, Joins Forces with New Coalition
In a major shake-up within Nigeria’s opposition political landscape, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and media personality Chief Dele Momodu have both resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing deep dissatisfaction with the party’s current direction.
Atiku, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, announced his departure in a letter dated Monday, July 14, addressed to the PDP chairman of Jada 1 Ward, Jada Local Government Area, Adamawa State. The letter was made public on Wednesday by his media aide.
The former Vice President, a founding member of the PDP, said the decision followed a period of reflection on what he described as the party’s deviation from its founding ideals.
“As a founding father of this esteemed party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision,” he 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.”
He expressed gratitude for the opportunities the PDP had afforded him, including serving as Vice President for two terms and twice emerging as its presidential candidate.
Barely 24 hours after Atiku’s announcement, Chief Dele Momodu, Chairman of Ovation Media Group and a prominent PDP chieftain, also tendered his resignation. In a letter dated July 17 and addressed to the PDP Ward 4 Chairman in Ihievbe, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, Momodu accused the party of being “unarguably hijacked by anti-democratic forces from within and outside.”
“It is, therefore, honorable to abandon the carcass to them,” he declared, adding that many former PDP members, including himself, are aligning with a rising coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He thanked the PDP for its past support, but emphasized that the current state of the party left him with no choice but to move on.
The twin resignations by Atiku and Momodu both influential figures, mark a critical moment for the PDP, which now faces intensified internal scrutiny and potential realignment ahead of future elections.
0 Comments