Presidential aspirant of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Mrs Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, has resigned her membership of the party and formally demanded a refund of her nomination fee, citing concerns over the credibility of its primary process.
In a strongly worded resignation letter addressed to the party’s National Chairman, she said her decision was driven by what she described as the party’s failure to conduct a transparent and competitive primary ahead of the 2027 elections.
Busari-Akinnadeju faulted the party’s decision to adopt a consensus arrangement, insisting it undermined internal democracy and discouraged fair competition among aspirants, Punch reported.
She maintained that her withdrawal was not an admission of defeat but a rejection of what she termed an unfair political process.
“I do not resign in defeat. I resign because I am not permitted a fair contest, and I will not lend my name to a process that has abandoned its own rules,” she said.
The former aspirant also requested a refund of the presidential nomination fee she paid, stating that the party failed to provide the fair electoral process that justified the payment. She further demanded the return of all personal documents submitted during her engagement with the party.
“I therefore respectfully request the following: written confirmation of receipt of this resignation; a refund of the presidential nomination fee I paid, the consideration for which, a fair and lawful primary, the party has not provided,” she stated.
Despite her exit, Busari-Akinnadeju expressed appreciation to party members who supported her ambition, noting that they were not responsible for her decision to leave. She said grassroots supporters deserved better treatment from party leadership and reaffirmed her respect for their commitment.
“I record my gratitude to members of the party across the country who gave their time and hope to the work we shared,” she said.
