Anybody’s free to leave – Atiku breaks silence after Delta PDP’s defection to APC

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has broken his silence over the recent gale of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, April 25, 2025, the PDP presidential flag-bearer in the 2023 election clarified that politics and democracy allow for freedom of association. “Freedom of association and expression are core democratic rights — not privileges,” he wrote. He stressed that, in a democratic setting, freedom of association is a fundamental right, along with the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. ALSO READ: ‘He couldn’t win his state’ – PDP chieftain downplays Okowa’s defection to APC “Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights. “Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble,” he stated. His remarks come two days after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, along with his deputy, Monday Iheme, and other state commissioners and political appointees, defected from the PDP to the APC. At the same time, there are reports that Oborevwori’s immediate predecessor and Atiku’s running mate in 2023, Patrick Ifeanyi Okowa, is set to join the ruling party soon. This is a continuation of a recent trend that has seen key PDP members crossing the divide to the APC, with other governors and prominent stakeholders also reportedly planning to follow suit. But the former President remains unflinched by these developments, insisting that any attempt to erode these values is a direct threat to Nigeria’s democracy. He noted that defections and political alignments are intrinsic aspects of Nigeria’s evolving democratic culture, and must never be interpreted as betrayal. He said that defections and political alignments are part of the country’s evolving democratic culture, and must not be seen as betrayal. ALSO READ: FULL LIST: Nigerian governors who defected from PDP to APC “As someone who believes deeply in democratic ideals, I bear no ill will towards anyone who chooses a different political path. “Politics will always involve shifting alliances — we’ve seen them in the past and we’ll see more in the future,” he stated.