In a significant political realignment, Abubakar “Abba” Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President and PDP stalwart Atiku Abubakar, formally defected to Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
The younger Atiku pledged to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, declaring his resignation from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during a ceremony at the National Assembly hosted by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin. “I am here today to formally announce my exit from my former party and my decision to join the APC,” he stated, attributing his move to his belief in “the ideology of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
APC leaders, including Senator Barau, hailed the defection as a major strategic boost for the party’s consolidation ahead of the next general elections, with Barau stating, “You have taken this decision based on conviction.”