Senator Theodore Orji has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending a long political chapter in his career.
The notice was sent in a letter addressed to the PDP chairman of his Umuahia Ward 1, and was made public on Saturday.
Orji, who led Abia State from 2007 to 2015 and later served two terms in the Senate representing Abia Central, cited “wide consultations with family and associates” as the basis for his decision.
In his resignation letter, he stated: “I write to formally tender my resignation from membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) effective immediately. … I appreciate the opportunities and experiences gained during my time as a member of the party.”
The former governor first won the governorship on the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) platform in 2007 before switching to the PDP in 2011 following a fallout with his predecessor.
He was re-elected under the PDP and later went to the Senate in 2015 and 2019 under the same banner.
Orji’s defection comes amid a broader exodus from the PDP in Abia.
In the letter, Orji expressed gratitude to the party but made clear his departure was final.
In a related development, this follows the exit of his former First Lady, Odochi (Mercy) Orji, from the PDP earlier in May, and his son Chinedum’s jump to APC.
