Atiku Breaks Silence as His Running Mate in 2023 Election Okowa Dumps PDP, Defects to APC
by by Ridwan Adeola · Legit.ng News · Join- Atiku Abubakar said he has been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand his position on the latest political shifts in the country
- Legit.ng recalls that Delta governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; and the leadership and membership of the PDP in the state defected to the APC on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
- In a statement, Atiku clarified that the 2027 election "is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC"
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.
Asaba, Delta state - Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, on Friday, April 25, 2025, said the latest defectors from Delta state are within their rights.
In a press release obtained by Legit.ng, Atiku asserted that "freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights".
'Delta defections: Politicians have right to move' - Atiku
Recall in a move that surprised many, Okowa, along with his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the deputy governor, Monday Onyeme; and other top Delta state government officials, defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, April 23.
In the same vein, Kano South Senator Kawu Sumaila resigned from the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and is set to join the APC.
Sumaila did not mention the party he is joining while announcing his resignation from the NNPP, but he is expected to rejoin the opposition APC in Kano after months of speculation and a leadership crisis in the NNPP in the north-west geopolitical zone.
The federal lawmaker said the move was driven by his “unwavering commitment to the welfare of his constituents.
But reacting to the defections and the PDP's losses via a statement he personally signed, Atiku said he holds "no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment".
He said:
"Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again."
2027 election: Again, Atiku blasts Tinubu's govt
On the coming 2027 election, Atiku asked Nigerians to reject the Bola Tinubu administration because it "has plunged the nation into untold suffering."
Atiku said:
"The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so."
The presidential hopeful concluded:
"The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division, because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board."
Atiku asks Tinubu to declare state of emergency on presidency
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Atiku asserted that "Nigeria is in a full-blown state of emergency".
Atiku criticised Tinubu on his foreign trip, stating that mindless killings are ongoing in Nigeria — especially in the northcentral geopolitical zone.