As Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, defects the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress, the old man has reacted.
According to him, Abba’s decision is a personal choice and not a cause for alarm.
In a statement issued on Thursday via X, Atiku said political choices made by family members were normal in a democracy and insisted he did not interfere with the conscience of his children or Nigerians.
“The decision of my son, Abba Abubakar, to join the APC is entirely personal. In a democracy, such choices are neither unusual nor alarming, even when family and politics intersect,” Atiku said.
He added, “As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, Abba pledged to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The defection was announced on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Popularly known as “Abba,” the younger Atiku was formally received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside key APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone, in what party leaders described as a significant political realignment.
Addressing party leaders and supporters at the event, Abubakar announced his resignation from the PDP and declared his alignment with the APC, describing the move as historic and deeply personal.
He also directed all coordinators and members of his political structure, formerly known as the Haske Atiku Organisation, which he founded in 2022, to immediately join the APC and mobilise support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said, “My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba. I am here today to formally announce my exit from my former party, where we worked in 2023, and my decision to join the APC.
“Today, I’m here to formally announce my exit from my former party to the APC following the outstanding leadership style and quality of His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin.
“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027. To this effect, I’m directing all coordinators of my association to join the APC and work for President Tinubu.”
Welcoming him into the party, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as both symbolic and far-reaching, saying it reflected a new phase of “politics without borders.”
Salihu said, “Today is one of my happiest days. We are looking beyond old social and political cleavages. This young man has seen the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration and decided to align with them.”
The Deputy President of the Senate disclosed that Abba, who had been closely following political developments from the United States, was impressed by the Tinubu administration’s reforms and outreach efforts, prompting his return to Nigeria and decision to join the ruling party.
