‘It’s a personal choice,’ Atiku says as son Abba joins APC, backs Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described his son’s decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a personal choice, stressing that he neither interferes with nor coerces his children in matters of conscience.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Atiku said political choices, even within families, were not unusual in a democracy, adding that his focus remained on offering Nigerians an alternative to what he described as poor governance under the APC.

“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.

“As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians. What truly concerns me is the poor governance of the APC and the severe economic and social hardships it has imposed on our people,” he added.

Atiku said he remained committed to working with “like-minded patriots” to restore good governance and provide Nigerians with “a credible alternative that brings relief, hope, and progress.”

His reaction followed the formal defection of his son, Abba Abubakar, from the PDP to the APC, where he pledged support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The defection was announced on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja, where Abba was received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside other APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

Addressing party leaders and supporters, Abba announced his resignation from the PDP and declared his alignment with the APC, describing the move as historic and deeply personal. He also directed members of his political structure, the Haske Atiku Organisation, which he founded in 2022, to join the APC and mobilise support for 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 and my decision to join the APC,” he said.

“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027,” he added.

Welcoming him into the party, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as symbolic and far-reaching, saying it signalled a new phase of “politics without borders.”

Senator Barau, in his remarks, congratulated Abba for what he described as a bold and principled decision, saying the move was based on ideology rather than family ties.

“You didn’t come here because of your father. You came because you believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Barau said.

A presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, also assured Abba of President Tinubu’s acceptance within the party, describing his defection as a return home.

The event also featured the formal renaming of Abba’s political structure from the Haske Atiku Organisation to the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, signalling a complete political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.