The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, has blamed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for what he described as the “destruction” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 

Olayinka made the remarks on Thursday while appearing as a guest on Sunrise Daily, a political programme aired on Channels Television. His comments followed Atiku’s shock announcement on Wednesday that he had formally resigned from the PDP as of Monday, July 14, citing “irreconcilable internal crises” within the opposition party.

 

Reacting to the resignation, Olayinka accused the former vice president and 2023 PDP presidential flagbearer of abandoning the same party he “ruined” in his relentless pursuit of the presidency.

 

“Today, PDP has been so destroyed and damaged by this one man, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He is now gone. The first thing I want to say is that when highly-spirited members of PDP come together to rebuild the party, Atiku Abubakar should not come back after he has failed on his new political journey, because he is going to fail,” Olayinka said.

 

He argued that Atiku’s repeated presidential bids, coupled with internal disputes, weakened the party’s structure and credibility, making unity and stability within the PDP difficult.

 

Olayinka also emphasized the need for PDP to focus on rebuilding its foundations, not just for electoral victories in 2027, but for long-term political relevance.

 

“We must begin to put the PDP house in order, not necessarily to win elections, but to restore dignity, structure, and direction,” he added.

 

 

As the PDP grapples with the fallout from Atiku’s exit, internal voices like Olayinka’s are calling for deep introspection and rebuilding. Whether the party can unite its fractured ranks ahead of the 2027 elections remains to be seen.