Atiku Abubakar Quits PDP to Launch Broad Opposition Alliance Ahead of 2027 Elections

Edited By: Aminatta Diallo

Nigeria’s veteran opposition figure and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has officially resigned from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), signaling a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.

In a letter addressed to the PDP leadership, Atiku cited “irreconcilable differences” and lamented what he described as a departure from the party’s founding values. “With a heavy heart, I resign, acknowledging the deep fractures that no longer allow me to stay,” he wrote.

Atiku, who served as Vice President between 1999 and 2007, was the PDP’s presidential candidate in both 2019 and 2023. Despite his long-standing affiliation with the party, he now joins forces with other opposition leaders to form a new political platform: the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC).

This coalition includes Peter Obi, another high-profile presidential runner-up, and Nasir El-Rufai, the influential former governor of Kaduna State, alongside former lawmakers and governors from both the opposition and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The alliance aims to challenge President Bola Tinubu and his APC party, drawing parallels with the historic 2015 coalition that ended the PDP’s 16-year hold on power.

With Nigeria facing significant economic and security challenges, the emerging bloc seeks to position itself as a credible alternative, promising democratic reform, accountability, and a people-centered agenda.