Atiku’s Exit Not New, PDP Expects His Return,.Says Damagum

The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has downplayed the recent resignation of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar from the party, describing it as neither surprising nor unprecedented.

Speaking to journalists on Friday in Bauchi, Damagum said Atiku’s latest exit fits a familiar pattern within the PDP’s political experience, where the former vice-president has left and returned multiple times in the past.

“This is not the first time; we’re expecting him back,” Damagum said confidently.

Atiku, who has been a central figure in the PDP and contested the presidency under its platform in 2019 and 2023, is reportedly making moves to float a new political platform, the Alliance for Democratic Congress, fueling speculation about his future political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, the PDP leadership has chosen to respond to the development with calm and strategic restraint.

“We are not shocked, and certainly not rattled. We have seen this before,” Damagum said, stressing that the party’s maturity and institutional resilience allow it to withstand such political shifts without losing its focus.

He emphasized that Atiku’s decision was viewed as a tactical maneuver rather than a final severance from the PDP. “His movement aligns with a long-standing pattern. It is more of political realignment than an ideological departure,” the chairman added.

Despite internal and external pressures, Damagum reassured party faithful and Nigerians that the PDP remains united and focused on its role as the country’s leading opposition party.

He reiterated that the party’s doors remain open to all, including those who may have temporarily strayed.

“Atiku is a stakeholder in Nigerian politics and in the PDP. If and when he chooses to return, the party will be here as it always has been.”

Atiku’s camp has yet to officially confirm his exit or the launch of a new party, but the political temperature suggests that the build-up to 2027 may be marked by realignments across party lines.

The PDP, founded in 1998, has weathered several high-profile defections over the years but continues to retain a broad national structure. Damagum’s remarks signal that the party is banking on its deep-rooted presence and loyal base to withstand current political tremors.