A former presidential aspirant of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, has resigned from the party and is demanding a refund of her presidential nomination fee. In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party on Friday, May 29, 2026, she stated that her decision to leave was based on the party's failure to conduct a free and fair primary election.
Reasons for Resignation
The DLA chieftain expressed concern over the party leadership's decision to adopt a consensus candidate, a move she described as detrimental to the growth of the party. She emphasized that she was not resigning in defeat but because she was denied a fair contest.
Details of the Resignation Letter
In her letter, Busari-Akinnadeju wrote: “I write to notify you, and through you the National Working Committee, of my resignation as a member of the Democratic Leadership Alliance with immediate effect from the date of this letter. I do not resign in defeat. I resigned 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 formally requested: “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. I also ask for return of any personal documents, records, or materials of mine that remain in the possession of the party or any of its officers.”
She expressed gratitude to party members across the country who supported her, stating: “They joined for the right reasons. They are not the cause of this decision, and they deserve far better than the conduct of those who now lead them.”
Commitment to Presidential Race
Busari-Akinnadeju, who hails from Akungba Akoko in Akoko South-West Local Council Area of Ondo State, affirmed that her commitment to the 2027 presidential race and the “Dare Nigeria mantra” remains unwavering. She said: “My commitment to the 2027 presidential race and the Dare Agenda, and to the millions of Nigerians who have answered the call of #DareNigeria, is undimmed and is in fact, strengthened by what I have witnessed. I will continue that work on a platform worthy of it. Nothing that has happened in recent weeks has changed my conviction. It has only confirmed why the change I am running to bring is necessary.”
She noted that she invested her time and resources with the belief that the party would provide a credible and lawful platform for the leadership Nigeria needs in 2027. She concluded: “The record speaks plainly, and I set it out here so that it is not forgotten. A party that cannot conduct a fair primary among its own aspirants cannot credibly promise a fair country to its citizens.”
