Former Delta State Governor and 2023 PDP vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, has confirmed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is preparing to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Okowa disclosed that Atiku had signaled his intention to exit the party. The revelation comes just a day after Okowa, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and other PDP leaders in the state formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I did inform Atiku that we were holding a leadership meeting with stakeholders last week, and the outcome would determine our next move, as we were no longer comfortable in the PDP,” Okowa said.
According to Okowa, Atiku had already hinted at his own plans to depart the party. “From my communications with him, and from what Nigerians also know, it’s clear he is on his way out,” he added.
Okowa stated that, after wide consultations with political stakeholders in Delta, the consensus was to join the APC. “We considered other options, including a coalition, but it was nearly unanimous — we should move into the APC,” he said.
On the question of political rotation between North and South, Okowa emphasized the need for President Bola Tinubu to complete his second term for the sake of national unity. “For the stability of Nigeria, it’s best for Tinubu to complete eight years before power rotates back to the North,” he noted.
Reacting to the defections, Atiku described the move as part of the normal democratic process. He had previously, in March, announced plans to form a political coalition to challenge President Tinubu’s government, fueling speculation about another presidential bid in 2027.
