NIGERIA (Abuja) –Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said the reason why he defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, was because the party at the helm of affairs has lost touch with Nigerians.   

This would be the second time Atiku has left the party. In 2006, following political heat-up which ensued between him and his then boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku joined the defunt Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where he battled for the presidency on its platform.

He later joined the party again in 2009 based on what he described as “promises of a new direction, inclusiveness, internal democracy, adherence to the rule of law and respect for the dignity of members and Nigerians”.

Atiku said his official resignation letter shall be handed to the PDP on Monday, adding that the party has failed to r resolve its many crises, mainly instigated by its leadership.

 “Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept. In addition, the PDP continues to be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises,” he said in his statement on Sunday.

 “Many founding members of the PDP, I included, continue to be marginalized and excluded from the affairs of the party. For instance as a former Vice President, I am by virtue of the PDP constitution, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees and its National Executive Committee,” he said.

“However, I am not invited to the meetings of those organs nor consulted on their decisions, apparently because I dared to exercise my right to contest in the party’s primary election for a chance to be its flag-bearer in the 2011 elections.”

Alh. Abubakar said his decision to join the APC was the “right decision”, and may not be popular among his supporters. He said he considered Nigeria first.

“As in 2006 it is the struggle for democracy and constitutionalism and service to my country and my people that are driving my choice and my decision. Let me emphasize that this is not about me. We must have a country before people can aspire to lead it, but as it is today we may be losing this country,” he said.