Former Senate President David Mark has officially severed ties with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending over two decades of political allegiance to the opposition party.
Mark’s resignation, which was confirmed in a statement personally signed on Wednesday, comes amid escalating internal tensions within the PDP. The former Benue South Senator cited deep-rooted leadership crises and persistent internal divisions as reasons for his departure.
This development follows swiftly on the heels of Mark’s emergence as the Interim National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a newly formed coalition platform seeking to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. Former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, was also announced as the Interim Secretary of the coalition.
In his resignation letter, addressed to party members in Otukpo Ward 1, Benue State, Mark expressed disappointment over the PDP’s decline, stating that the party had become “a shadow of its former self” due to infighting and a failure to resolve key disagreements.
“I have been a committed member of the PDP, even during its lowest moments,” he wrote, recalling his efforts to revive and reposition the party following its 2015 electoral defeat. “But recent events have made it clear that the PDP is no longer able to fulfil its founding ideals or offer Nigerians a credible alternative.”
Mark, Nigeria’s longest-serving Senate President, emphasized that his resignation was not a retreat from politics, but a strategic move to join forces with a broader opposition front.
He disclosed that after extensive consultations with his family and political associates, he has decided to align with the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement, a political alliance that forms the foundation of the ADC-led structure.
“This is a united effort to rescue Nigeria and safeguard our democratic values ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he said.
Mark’s exit is expected to further shake the PDP, which has in recent years struggled to maintain cohesion and direction amid mounting defections and leadership wrangles. His involvement in the ADC signals the emergence of a new political bloc that may reshape Nigeria’s political landscape in the years leading up to the next general election.