Politics

Mahdi Shehu Criticizes Atiku for Leaving PDP and Joining Former Rivals

Published by Akinwale Fakinlede on July 18th, 2025.

Mahdi Shehu Criticizes Atiku for Leaving PDP and Joining Former Rivals

Public commentator and political analyst, Mahdi Shehu, has taken a hard stance against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following his decision to part ways with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement shared via his official X account on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, Shehu accused Atiku of turning his back on the very party he once championed, framing the move as a win for his longstanding political rivals.

Atiku, in a letter dated Monday, July 14, 2025, addressed to the PDP leadership in his home LGA of Jada, Adamawa State, announced his departure, citing unresolved internal divisions and a deviation from the party’s original values. The 78-year-old political figure said the PDP’s current direction no longer aligned with the principles it was founded upon.

Acknowledging the role the PDP played in his political journey—including his time as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 and his presidential bids in 2007, 2019, and 2023—Atiku expressed appreciation for the platform but stated it was time to move on. His departure comes ahead of the 2027 elections, with reports indicating he will now pursue his ambitions through the Alliance Democratic Congress (ADC), a newly formed coalition party.

Responding to the development, Mahdi Shehu condemned the decision, suggesting that Atiku’s move signified political naivety. “By choosing to join forces with those who have opposed him for years, Atiku demonstrates a lack of strategic endurance,” Shehu wrote. “I would prefer to remain within the storm than escape into uncertainty.”

In a metaphorical reflection, Shehu likened Atiku’s exit to someone abandoning a home they helped build and defend for years simply because of a rat infestation. “Walking away from a house you furnished, defended, and took pride in, just because of pests, doesn’t speak of resilience,” he said.

Shehu warned that Atiku’s departure could be seen as vindication for political foes such as Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he accused of plotting against both Atiku and the PDP.

“The shockwaves this move has sent through the PDP ranks cannot be overstated. Many who saw Atiku as a pillar of strength within the party now feel abandoned,” Shehu added.

He concluded with a cautionary proverb: “He who fights and flees may live to fight again—but he who perishes in battle may never rise.” In Shehu’s view, Atiku may have fled the battlefield, but not with honor.