Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), marking the end of a decades-long association with the party he once helped lead.
In a letter dated June 27 and addressed to the PDP Chairman of his Otukpo Ward in Benue State—obtained by The PUNCH on Wednesday—Mark cited deep internal divisions, persistent leadership crises, and a weakening of the party’s core values as the reasons for his departure.
“I write to formally inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the party with immediate effect,” the letter titled ‘Notice of Resignation from the PDP’ read.
Mark, who described himself as the “last man standing” after the PDP’s 2015 electoral loss, said his commitment to the party never wavered even when many other prominent stakeholders left.
“Over the years, I have remained firm and deeply committed to the ideals of the PDP. 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 wrote.
However, he said his efforts to rebuild, reconcile, and reposition the party have been undermined by worsening internal dysfunction.
“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,” Mark lamented.
A New Political Mission with ADC Coalition
The former Senate President announced his intention to join a new opposition movement, signaling a potential realignment of Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
“After wide consultations with my family, friends, and political associates, I have resolved to join the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement in Nigeria, as part of the collective effort to rescue our nation and preserve our hard-earned democracy,” he declared.
Sources confirm that Mark has been appointed Interim National Chairman of the soon-to-be-launched African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition platform. He joins former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who was recently announced as the coalition’s Interim National Secretary.
The development underscores growing discontent among senior political figures with both of Nigeria’s dominant parties—the APC and the PDP—and could signal the birth of a formidable third force in the country's evolving democratic journey.
