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2027: Atiku’s Exit is PDP’s Liberation — Governor Makinde Declares
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has described the recent departure of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a “form of freedom” for the party, stating that it is better to forge ahead without internal restraints.
Atiku, who was the PDP’s presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general election, formally resigned from the party in a letter dated July 14, 2025, citing a deviation from the party’s founding ideals. His resignation comes shortly after aligning with a new opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on the development at the 10th Coronation Anniversary Colloquium of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Governor Makinde maintained that Atiku’s exit does not weaken the PDP’s structure or future prospects.
“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 asserted.
“Anyone who would hold the PDP down it’s better for such a person to just leave.”
Makinde also dismissed the perceived threat posed by the ADC-led opposition coalition, labeling it inconsequential in the broader political landscape.
“I don’t see ADC as a threat to the PDP. If you’re dissatisfied with the direction of governance, you’re free to associate with any platform,” he said.
He concluded his remarks with a call for long-term national focus beyond individual political ambitions:
“Governors will come and go, presidents will come and go, but our country and our states will remain.”
Makinde’s comments reflect growing confidence within the PDP as it recalibrates for 2027, with or without its former standard-bearer.
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