Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said the exit of erstwhile Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not affect the fortune of the opposition party.

Mr Makinde told journalists at the 10th coronation anniversary colloquium of the Deji of Akure, Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, that Mr Abubakar’s exit was a freedom for the party. The governor said this shortly after Mr Abubakar announced his resignation from PDP on Wednesday. 

Mr Abubakar made his resignation known in a letter addressed to the PDP chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, dated Monday, July 14, 2025. 

His resignation came a few weeks after he joined the coalition with other opposition figures to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a platform ahead of the 2027 election. 

However, Mr Makinde dismissed insinuations that Mr Abubakar’s resignation would weaken the party’s chances ahead of the 2027 election.  

“Politics is a game of interest, and I don’t think that will make any dent on the PDP as a party; the PDP is an institution,” he said. “You have freedom of entrance and exit. But I think anyone who would hold PDP down, it is better for such an individual to just leave.”

According to Makinde, the PDP will remain stronger as a political party, regardless of the former vice president’s resignation. 

The governor also said the ADC is not a threat to the PDP 

“I don’t see ADC as a threat to PDP. The goal is about the same if you are not happy about the pace and tempo of governance. You’re free to associate with what can be done. 

“But one thing we must realise is that players would come, governors would also come and go, the president would also come and go, but our country and state would remain,” he said.