From Muhammad Ahmad Saka, in Bauchi
The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iliya Damagum, has said that the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s defection from the party is “normal” and that his return is imminent.
Damagum said this in Bauchi while speaking with journalists on Friday.
He said that the defection of the presidential candidate of the party in 2023 is not new to the party and certainly he would return.
When asked about his reaction to Atiku, he said: “It’s expected because this isn’t the first time, and I don’t see it being the last,” adding that “Politics is flexible, and you know it is dynamic, and you know whatever goes around comes around, implying that Atiku’s decision is consistent with his past actions.
The PDP Acting Chairman said that the party has grown accustomed to Atiku’s movements in and out of the party.
He described the recent exit of its former presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as a normal and temporary setback but such moves are not unusual in Nigerian politics.
Damagum said that the PDP remains committed to its founding ideals and is working towards addressing internal challenges, not just within the PDP, but also across Nigeria’s political landscape.
He said that the party is focused on strengthening its structure and unity, while also repositioning itself ahead of future political contests.
You would recall that Atiku Abubakar left PDP in a letter dated July 14 that was addressed to the chairman of the PDP in his Jada 1 Ward, Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Atiku said his resignation was with immediate effect.
He said: “I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for,” he wrote. “It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.”
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Atiku Abubakar cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for his resignation from the PDP.
The former Vice President also expressed disappointment with the current direction of the party, which he said has strayed from the vision and principles upon which it was founded.
