Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.
Popularly known as Abba, the younger Atiku was formally received on Thursday at the National Assembly by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside prominent APC leaders from the North-East, a development party leaders described as a significant boost to the APC’s consolidation efforts ahead of the next general election.
Announcing his defection, Abba said he had resigned from the PDP and decided to align fully with the APC, describing the move as both personal and historic.
He also directed members and coordinators of his political group, formerly known as the Haske Atiku Organisation, to immediately join the APC and work in support of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“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,” he said.
According to him, the decision was influenced by what he described as the leadership style and political qualities of Senator Barau Jibrin, whom he praised for his role in national politics.
“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. I am also directing all coordinators of my association to join the APC and work for President Tinubu,” he added.
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Welcoming him into the party, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as symbolic and far-reaching, saying it reflected what he termed “politics without borders.”
He said the move showed that young politicians were increasingly aligning with policies and programs rather than old political divides.
Salihu assured Abba of equal rights and opportunities within the party, stressing that the APC remained a progressive platform driven by ideology rather than personal ambition.
In his remarks, Senator Barau congratulated Abba for what he called a bold and principled decision, assuring him and his supporters of full integration and support within the party.
He noted that the defection was based on belief in President Tinubu’s leadership and the Renewed Hope Agenda, rather than family influence.
“You did not come here because of your father. You came because you believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his ideology,” Barau said.
The Deputy Senate President disclosed that Abba, who had been closely following political developments from the United States, was impressed by the Tinubu administration’s reforms and outreach, which motivated his return to Nigeria and eventual defection to the APC.
He described him as a focused and determined young man eager to contribute to the country’s future.
Also speaking at the event, a presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, assured Abba of President Tinubu’s acceptance and support, describing his decision as a homecoming and a sign of political maturity.
On behalf of the group, the Kano State Coordinator, Hon. Mubarak Musa, said the defection was strategic, adding that the group’s political activities would now be coordinated under the leadership of Senator Barau.
He pledged that members would intensify efforts to deliver electoral victories for the APC in 2027.
The event also featured the formal renaming of Abba’s political association from Haske Atiku Organisation to Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, signalling a complete political realignment ahead of the next general election.
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