Former Minister of Aviation and ex-Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, has officially announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Chidoka made the revelation during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television on Friday.
In his announcement, Chidoka stated that he is stepping away from active politics to focus on his non-profit organisation, the Athena Centre, which aims to collaborate with like-minded Nigerians in pushing for political reforms in the country.
“Earlier today, I sent a letter to my ward in Anambra State, officially resigning from the PDP. I am leaving the PDP and taking a break from politics for some time to concentrate on the Athena Centre,” he said. “I will work with other Nigerians who share the vision of reforming our political system to promote evidence-based governance. So, effective today, I am no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Chidoka’s decision to leave the PDP comes amidst his continued criticism of Nigeria’s political framework, particularly the nation’s electoral process. The Athena Centre, which he founded, recently conducted a review of the Edo State governorship election, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The election saw Okpebholo defeat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP.
Presenting the Athena Centre’s findings, Chidoka expressed strong reservations about the credibility of the election, accusing INEC of compromising the process.
“The evidence of systemic rigging observed in this election is so substantial that we cannot accept the results,” Chidoka said. “If this stands, then there will be no credible election in 2027.”
He outlined several irregularities uncovered by the Centre, including lack of transparency in the voter accreditation process, overvoting, and manipulation of results at ward collation centres. He also criticized the failure to transmit BVAS accreditation records to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as required by law.
Additionally, Chidoka pointed out that results from 153 polling units were unaccounted for, raising significant questions about the validity of the final outcome. He expressed shock at INEC’s alleged role in what he described as a deeply flawed process, stating that the electoral body risked tarnishing its reputation by overseeing an election that failed to meet basic standards of integrity.
“The Edo State election cannot be deemed credible because it failed to meet the fundamental standards required for transparency and fairness,” Chidoka concluded.
His resignation from the PDP and his critiques of the electoral system underscore his pivot toward advocacy for systemic reforms. Through the Athena Centre, Chidoka seeks to champion initiatives that strengthen governance and restore credibility to Nigeria’s political processes.
Source: @theNation
