A former Minister of Women Affairs and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Josephine Anenih, claims that contrary to the reported resignation of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the PDP on June 14, 2025, he left the party after the 2023 presidential election.

Anenih, who is also a former national woman leader of the PDP, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

“If you ask me, I would say he didn’t exit yesterday; he had exited after the last election, because after the last election, maybe he held a conference once or something, and that was it,” she said.

She said Atiku had not been playing an active role in the opposition party, following the outcome of the presidential election.

“He has not attended any meeting. We have even reached out to him.

“Even the women of the Board of Trustees went to him and we told him that the party is drifting because there is no leadership and we look at you as our ‘baba,’ as our leader and we expected you to take action, to be in the forefront, to give direction,” she added.

The former minister, however, said that in spite of the challenges facing the PDP, it would not go extinct on her watch, and those who took part in the founding of the party in 1998.

Asked how difficult it would be for the opposition party to move on, Anenih said, “In 1998, we didn’t have all those people, and those of us who were there —grassroots people. We managed to put the PDP together, and we won. As Chief Bode George said, anybody can go, anybody can come.

“But for those of us who believe in the PDP, we will do our best, and we know that the PDP can never die on our watch. Maybe when we are dead, the PDP can die, but it won’t die before us.”

Atiku announced his resignation from the PDP in a letter dated July 14, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of the PDP, Jada 1 Ward, Jada Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State.

He explained that his resignation was due to irreconcilable differences that had emerged within the former ruling party.

Atiku also said that he found it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the party has taken, which, according to him, diverged from the foundational principles it stood for.

The former vice president’s resignation generated mixed reactions.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday said those holding the PDP down were free to leave the party.

Speaking during the 10th coronation anniversary colloquium of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, held in Akure, Ondo State, the governor said, “Well, politics is a game of interest. I don’t think that will make any dent on PDP as a party.

“PDP is an institution. You have freedom of entrance and exit, but I think anyone who will hold PDP down, it’s better for such individuals to go.”

Hours after Atiku’s resignation letter surfaced, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in a post on his X handle, criticised Atiku Abubakar over the timing of his resignation.

Keyamo wrote, “Your Excellency, whilst I acknowledge that it is within your constitutional right to change political parties at any time you may wish, releasing your letter of resignation from the PDP during this week of the mourning of our immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, is clearly an attempt to draw the spotlight away from such a solemn occasion and direct it on yourself.

“With the greatest respect to you, this clearly demonstrates that your obsession with your perennial Presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.”

Atiku is one of the leading figures in the opposition coalition, which adopted the African Democratic Congress as its political platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election. (Channels TV)