A top aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling it a long-overdue departure with little political consequence.
Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media, made the remarks on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, where he described Atiku’s exit as a predictable move.
“Atiku leaving the PDP is good riddance to bad rubbish,” he said. “He’s been doing this since 2007. The headline should have been: ‘Atiku Leaves PDP Again.’”
Atiku, a founding member of the PDP and twice its presidential candidate, formally severed ties with the party in a letter dated July 16, 2025, citing irreconcilable differences.
His resignation comes as political alignments begin to take shape ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Olayinka blamed Atiku for many of the internal divisions that have weakened the PDP over the years, describing him as a destabilizing force.
He accused the former vice president of habitually abandoning the party whenever his personal ambitions were not fulfilled.
“He jumps ship the moment things don’t go his way,” Olayinka said. “You’d think a doctor prescribed the presidency for him.”
Reflecting on Atiku’s political history, Olayinka recalled his role in fracturing the PDP’s structure in the early 2000s, including his departure to form the Action Congress in 2007, his influence in the defections that led to the party’s loss of power in 2015, and his brief affiliations with other opposition groups like the African Democratic Congress.
He also criticized the timing of Atiku’s resignation, noting that it came just as the country was mourning the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Atiku was in Daura but couldn’t even wait until the seven-day mourning period was over. That level of desperation is hard to comprehend,” he said.
Despite the scathing remarks, Olayinka acknowledged the PDP’s need for internal reforms and unity, though he admitted the party may struggle to mount a credible challenge in the 2027 elections given the time constraints.
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