Former Minister of Women Affairs and PDP chieftain, Josephine Anenih, has stated that Atiku Abubakar effectively withdrew from the Peoples Democratic Party after his defeat in the 2023 presidential election, well before his formal resignation.
Speaking on national television, Anenih said Atiku’s absence from party meetings and lack of engagement signaled a clear emotional and political detachment. “He didn’t exit yesterday; he had exited after the last election,” she said, noting that several PDP leaders had reached out to him with no response.
Josephine revealed that the PDP Board of Trustees, especially its women members, had appealed to Atiku to provide leadership as the party struggled with internal challenges. “We told him the party is drifting. We see him as our leader and expect him to give us direction,” she said.
Despite Atiku’s departure—formally announced in a July 14 letter citing “irreconcilable differences”—Josephine remained optimistic about the PDP’s future. She emphasized the party’s grassroots foundation, saying, “In 1998, we built the PDP from the ground up. People may come and go, but the PDP will stand.”
