Victor EzejaMedia Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr Paul Ibe, has responded to public criticisms of the timing of his principal’s exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the resignation letter was leaked.
Atiku’s resignation of his membership of the PDP was confirmed in a letter dated 14 July 2025 and addressed to the chairman, PDP, Jada 1 ward, Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn the letter that was shared on social media on Wednesday, Atiku said his decision to resign his membership of the PDP was a “heartbreaking” one, blaming the crisis rocking the party.
The announcement was trailed by criticisms over the timing of Atiku’s exit from the PDP, which came at a time the nation was mourning former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was buried on Tuesday.
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Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, criticised the timing of the release of Atiku’s resignation letter, accusing the former vice president of making an attempt to divert attention from the mourning of the late former president, which he described as a “solemn” one.
The minister said: “In fact (as the image below shows) you prepared, typed, signed and delivered that letter the morning after the passing away of the former President was announced. With the greatest respect to you, this clearly demonstrates that your obsession with your perennial Presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.”
Keyamo also faulted the use of the Nigerian Coat of Arms in Atiku’s resignation letter, saying it is illegal to do so as he stopped being a functionary of the Federal Government more than 18 years ago.
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Citing Section 6 of the Flag and Coat of Arms Act, Cap. F30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the minister stated that unauthorised use of national symbols is prohibited.
“Morally, it is also reprehensible to use a symbol suggesting that you are acting on behalf of the authority that the symbol represents. It borders on impersonation. Imagine a situation where all former Government functionaries continue to use the Coat of Arms of Nigeria in their personal, political, or private communications. There would certainly be confusion everywhere,” Keyamo wrote via his X handle on Wednesday.
Reacting, Paul Ibe, who appeared on Arise News TV on Wednesday night, claimed that the resignation letter was not voluntarily released, but deliberately leaked by some PDP members opposed to Atiku’s political aspirations, and are also in alliance with members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ibe criticised Keyamo for jumping into the matter, saying he has more serious issues to deal with in the aviation sector.
He maintained that the leak of Atiku’s resignation letter was orchestrated and emphasised that the matter should not overshadow national reflection over Buhari’s death.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
