Former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing the party of lacking the capacity and strength to offer Nigerians a credible political alternative. In a letter dated July 4 and addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Aiyetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Melaye said his decision to exit the party was based on deep reflection about its current state and future.
According to him, the PDP no longer has the “potency and capacity to deliver the Nigerian people from the prevailing political cankerworms” that have eroded the nation’s governance and development.
Melaye, who served in the National Assembly from 2015 to 2019 and was the PDP’s candidate in the 2023 Kogi governorship election, said he could no longer, in good conscience, align himself with the party’s agenda or participate in its activities. “Having carefully reflected on the state of the party, I can no longer in good conscience participate in the activities of the party or lend my support to her agenda,” he wrote. “In view of the above, please consider this as my formal withdrawal from the party and all its activities at all levels with immediate effect.”
His resignation follows growing internal disputes within the PDP, including his suspension in September 2024 by the Aiyetoro Gbede ward leadership for alleged anti-party activities. The ward executive had accused him of misconduct and claimed he failed to appear before a disciplinary committee after being summoned. Melaye’s exit comes amid a broader wave of political realignment, as several opposition figures seek new platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections. A longtime ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Melaye’s departure further underscores the internal crisis threatening the PDP’s cohesion as the race for 2027 intensifies.
