Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has welcomed the resignation of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as an opportunity for the party to move forward unencumbered.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the PDP, officially ended his affiliation with the party in a letter dated July 14, 2025.
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The letter, addressed to the PDP chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa, expressed disappointment over the party’s deviation from its founding principles, while noting that leaving was a difficult decision.
This development followed his recent alliance with a group of opposition leaders who have adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their new platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the 10th Coronation Anniversary Colloquium of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, in Akure, Governor Makinde said Atiku’s departure does not in any way weaken the party.
“Politics is a game of interest, and I don’t think Atiku’s exit will make any dent on the PDP. The PDP is an institution,” Makinde said. “You have the freedom to enter and exit. But I think anyone who would hold PDP down—it’s better for such a person to just leave.”
Makinde also addressed concerns surrounding the emergence of the ADC as a potential threat to the PDP’s electoral prospects.
“I don’t see ADC as a threat to the PDP. The goal is the same if you’re dissatisfied with the pace and direction of governance. You’re free to associate with any platform,” he noted.
He concluded with a reflection on the continuity of democratic institutions despite changes in political leadership.
“Governors will come and go, presidents will come and go, but our country and our states will remain.”
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