Atiku’s PDP resignation not official, letter was lèaked — Aide reveals

The Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has claimed that Atiku’s resignation letter from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was leaked and not officially released.

Speaking in an interview on Arise News on Wednesday night, Ibe addressed the controversy over the timing of the letter, which surfaced just as Nigeria was mourning former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was buried on Tuesday.

Ibe claimed that the leak was carried out by people trying to weaken Atiku’s political future, including some within the PDP and their allies in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He described those behind the leak as “rogue elements in the PDP working with APC members,” and stressed that the focus should remain on honouring Buhari’s memory, not on political distractions.

Ibe said:

“Those who claim to know why he resigned, are they clairvoyants? I would rather say we speak on something else and not this particular issue, considering the fact that the nation is still in mourning and the memories of the late President, Muhammadu Buhari, who was just interred yesterday, are still fresh.

“We’re here because people who never wished His Excellency Atiku Abubakar well leaked a communication of his. Yes, it was leaked.

“It’s unfortunate that the Minister of Aviation, who rather should be concerned with serious issues of aviation matters and there are plenty of them, like runways and better infrastructure, jumped into this fray as though knowing what caused an accident even before investigation.”

Atiku officially resigned from the PDP via a letter dated July 14, 2025. The letter, submitted to his local ward chairman in Adamawa State, was subsequently shared publicly by his media aide on X.

In the letter, Atiku cited “irreconcilable differences” and expressed disappointment with the party’s current trajectory, which he believes has deviated from its founding principles.