5 times Atiku changed party: Reason, other details emerge

• Atiku Abubakar connected Wednesday, July 16, stirred caller concerns and statement successful the polity arsenic helium officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
• Atiku tendered his resignation successful the build-up to the 2027 predetermination aft adopting a conjugation party, the Alliance Democratic Congress (ADC)
• This nonfiction presents the large shifts successful the erstwhile Vice President's governmental travel amid the determination to unseat President Bola Tinubu successful 2027

Legit.ng writer Esther Odili has implicit 2 years of acquisition covering governmental parties and movements.

On Wednesday, July 16, erstwhile Vice President Atiku Abubakar officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the 3rd time.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has resigned his rank from the absorption party, the PDP. Photo credit: Atiku Abubakar
Source: Facebook

Atiku's resignation came days aft the Atiku-led conjugation announced the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) arsenic its governmental level up of the 2027 wide election.

However, Atiku is nary alien to enactment defections. With his confirmed exit from the PDP, this marks yet different crook successful his governmental journey.

“I find it indispensable to portion ways owed to the existent trajectory the enactment has taken, which I judge diverges from the foundational principles we stood for. It is with a dense bosom that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that person emerged,” Atiku said successful a missive dated July 14, 2025,” Atiku said connected Wednesday successful his resignation missive to the PDP.

This marks the latest successful a bid of high-profile switches crossed Nigeria’s governmental landscape.

5 times Atiku switched governmental parties

Below are 5 notable times Atiku has changed parties and what motivated each determination arsenic reported by The Punch;

1999–2006: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

In 1999, Atiku Abubakar was elected arsenic the politician of Adamawa state nether the level of the PDP. Before helium could beryllium sworn in, helium was selected arsenic moving mate to Olusegun Obasanjo, who went connected to triumph the statesmanlike election. Atiku served arsenic Vice President from 1999 to 2007.

Atiku Abubakar exited the PDP days aft adopting the African Democratic Congress up of the 2027 election. Photo credit: ADC
Source: Facebook

1999-2006: PDP to Action Congress (AC)

In a large shift, Atiku dumped the PDP successful 2006 pursuing a fallout with President Olusegun Obasanjo implicit succession plans.

The erstwhile VP past joined the Action Congress to contention the 2007 statesmanlike election. However, helium mislaid to PDP’s Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

AC – PDP (2009)

Also successful 2009, Atiku Abubakar returned to the PDP aft clashing with the then-AC person and existent President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He sought the PDP statesmanlike summons successful 2011 but mislaid to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

PDP – All Progressives Congress (2014)

Ahead of the 2015 elections, Atiku defected to the recently formed APC, citing deficiency of interior ideology successful the PDP.

He contested the APC statesmanlike superior but mislaid to Muhammadu Buhari, who aboriginal defeated Jonathan successful the statesmanlike election.

APC – PDP (2017)

In an absorbing twist, Atiku returned to the PDP successful 2017, criticising the APC for failing to present connected its promises and sidelining enactment stakeholders. He secured the PDP’s statesmanlike summons for the 2019 predetermination but mislaid to Buhari.

PDP – New level (2025)

Amid continued interior divisions, zoning controversies, and fallout from the 2023 wide predetermination nonaccomplishment to President Bola Tinubu, Atiku again parted ways with the PDP.

Though helium has yet to denote a caller governmental party, Atiku, the 2023 Labour Party statesmanlike campaigner Peter Obi, erstwhile Senate President David Mark and different conjugation leaders person officially adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) arsenic the level to spearhead President Tinubu’s decision successful the 2027 election.

Read much astir politicians and defection here:

• ADC coalition: Bode George blasts Atiku, PDP members
• 2027: Former minister, ex-governor’s woman dump PDP for Atiku-led conjugation ‘ADC’
• Delta gov Oborevwori, Okowa illness PDP operation into APC

Peter Obi asks Atiku to cede ADC ticket

In different development, Legit.ng reported that Peter Obi has urged the African Democratic Congress to portion its 2027 statesmanlike summons to the South to beforehand unity and fairness.

Obi insists the South should implicit its tenure earlier powerfulness returns to the North, describing his chances successful the predetermination arsenic strong.

He besides warned the conjugation not to repetition past governmental mistakes and confirmed helium would tally successful 2027 careless of the platform.

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Source: Legit.ng