Former Senate President, Dr. David Mark, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending his decades-long association with the party. This development comes on the heels of his announcement as the Interim National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — a party reportedly being positioned as the central platform for opposition efforts to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Mark’s resignation was communicated via a letter dated June 27, 2025, addressed to the PDP leadership in his home base, Otukpo Ward 1 in Benue State. Titled “Notice of Resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party,” the letter conveyed his disillusionment with the party’s current trajectory.
In the letter, Mark wrote:
“I bring warm greetings to you and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otukpo Ward 1, and by extension, to the entire Benue State and Nigeria. I write to formally inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the party with immediate effect.”
He recalled his steadfast loyalty to the PDP even during its most challenging periods, particularly after the party lost the presidency in 2015.
“Even when nearly all stakeholders departed the party following our loss in the 2015 presidential election, I pledged to remain the last man standing,” he noted.
Mark, who led the Senate during the 6th and 7th Assemblies and remains one of Nigeria’s most respected elder statesmen, said his efforts helped restore the PDP’s national relevance. However, he lamented that the party has since deteriorated.
“Recent events marked by deepening divisions, persistent leadership crisis, and irreconcilable differences have reduced the party to a shadow of its former self, subjecting it to public ridicule.”
According to the former army general, his decision to leave followed “wide consultations with family, friends, and political associates.” He declared his commitment to joining the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement, describing it as part of a collective mission to “rescue our nation and preserve our hard-earned democracy.”
Mark’s defection to the ADC and his emergence as its interim chairman is being viewed as a major shift in Nigeria’s opposition landscape, potentially triggering realignments as political actors begin early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
