Confusion, Shock In Atiku’s Backyard As Son Defects To APC, Backs Tinubu

By Adesina Soyooye

There is a raging political fire in the backyard of former Vice  President  Atiku Abubakar. The fire signals an unexpected crack in his own family.

One of his sons, Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, popular as Abba, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Not only did he defect, he has pledged unalloyed loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and pledged full support for the President’s 2027 reelection ambition.

The irony: His father is a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC,  and fighting to get the Party’s Presidential Candidate. He plans to challenge Tinubu for the Presidential seat in 2027 for the fourth shot at the office, the most current being his shot in 2023 under the platform of the PDP.

But inspite of his ambition, his son has chosen not to join him in the ADC; but chosen to support President Tinubu in his reelection bid.

Atiku’s son’s defection  to the APC  which he formally announced on Thursday at the National Assembly, has shocked not a few Nigerians. He was received into the APC  by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), alongside APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

Popular as Abba, the former Vice President’s son while   announcing  his resignation from the PDP  declared his full alignment with the APC. He described his decision as  personal and historic, and directed all coordinators and members of his political structure, Haske Atiku Organisation founded in 2022, to immediately join the APC and support President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

His words: “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 decision, he said is 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”, Abba said.

The APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, who spoke described the defection as symbolic and far-reaching, and noted that it is a  reflection of  politics without borders.

He said: “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 assured Abba of equal rights and opportunities within the APC.

Barau congratulated Abba on what party leaders described as a major boost to the APC’s consolidation drive ahead of the 2027 general elections. “This move is bold, wise and principled”, Barau said.