Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the recent leak of Atiku’s resignation letter from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was orchestrated by internal saboteurs in the opposition party, working in alliance with elements in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Arise News on Wednesday, Ibe described the leak as a “malicious” move aimed at embarrassing Atiku and stirring unnecessary controversy at a sensitive time for the nation. He stressed that the letter, dated July 14, 2025, was never meant to be made public.
“The resignation was a private communication. Its leak was not accidental — it was deliberate and politically motivated,” Ibe said. “This is the handiwork of rogue elements within the PDP, collaborating with allies in the APC to create distractions.”
The media aide said the timing of the leak — just a day after the funeral of former President Muhammadu Buhari — was meant to provoke outrage and draw attention away from national mourning.
“Those trying to dictate what Atiku should or should not do are simply playing politics. The nation is mourning, and these people are exploiting that for cheap gain,” he said.
Atiku’s resignation letter, in which he cited deep dissatisfaction with the PDP’s direction and failure to uphold its founding principles, triggered reactions across the political spectrum.
Among the critics was Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who berated Atiku for what he called “insensitivity” in releasing the letter during a solemn national moment. Keyamo also questioned the use of official letterhead bearing Nigeria’s coat of arms, arguing that Atiku had no right to use such symbols as a private citizen.
But Ibe dismissed the minister’s comments, saying Keyamo had no business wading into the matter.
“I find it laughable that a minister with so many challenges in the aviation sector would prioritise a private letter that wasn’t meant for the public,” Ibe said. “There are serious issues in aviation — infrastructure gaps, runway problems — that should command his attention.”
He added: “It’s like someone claiming to know the cause of an air crash before any investigation has even begun.”
Atiku, a founding member of the PDP and its 2023 presidential candidate, resigned from the party citing irreconcilable differences. The move has fuelled speculation about the imminent launch of a new political coalition to challenge the APC in the 2027 general election.
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