Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defection was formally announced on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the National Assembly, where Abubakar, popularly known as “Abba,” was received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), alongside APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.
Speaking at the event, Abba announced his resignation from the PDP and declared his full alignment with the APC.
He also directed all coordinators and members of his political structure, formerly known as the Haske Atiku Organisation founded in 2022, to immediately join the APC and support President Tinubu’s re-election.
“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.
He attributed his decision to what he described as the outstanding leadership style of Senator Barau Jibrin and the performance of the Tinubu administration.
“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. To this effect, I am directing all coordinators of my association to join the APC and work for President Tinubu,” he added.
Welcoming him into the party, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as symbolic and far-reaching, noting that it reflected “politics without borders.”
“Today is one of my happiest days. This young man has seen the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration and decided to align with them,” Salihu said, assuring Abba of equal rights and opportunities within the APC.
Senator Barau congratulated Abba on what party leaders described as a major boost to the APC’s consolidation drive ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the move as bold, wise and principled.
“You have taken a decision based on ideology. You did not come here because of your father. You came because you believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his ideology and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Barau said.
A presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, assured Abba of President Tinubu’s acceptance and support, saying, “Just like Atiku, Tinubu is also your father. Your decision is like returning home. You and your coordinators have a future in this party.”
At the event, Abba’s political organisation, Haske Atiku, was officially renamed the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation.
