Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has left the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging to support President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.
The defection was announced on Thursday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where Abba was formally received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside other APC leaders from the North-East.
Popularly known as “Abba,” he described his move as a historic decision, formally resigning from the PDP and declaring his allegiance to the APC. He also instructed members and coordinators of his political platform, the Haske Atiku Organisation—founded in 2022—to immediately join the APC and mobilise support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba,” he said. “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 attributed his decision to what he described as the leadership qualities of Senator Barau Jibrin, adding that he would work closely with the Deputy Senate President to ensure President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Welcoming him, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, said the defection was symbolic and significant, describing it as evidence of a new era of “politics without borders.” According to Salihu, Abba’s decision reflected confidence in the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration. He assured the new entrant of equal rights and opportunities within the party.
Senator Barau, in his remarks, congratulated Abba for what he termed a bold and principled decision, stressing that it was driven by ideology rather than family ties.
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“You came here because you believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his ideology and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Barau said. He added that Abba, who had been following political developments from the United States, was impressed by the administration’s reforms, prompting his return to Nigeria and eventual defection.
Also speaking, a presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, assured Abba of President Tinubu’s acceptance and support within the APC, describing his move as a “return home.”
On behalf of the defecting group, Kano State coordinator Hon. Mubarak Musa said the move was strategic, pledging that the group would intensify efforts to secure victory for the APC in 2027. He described Senator Barau as their political leader and a major force within the party in the North.
The event concluded with the renaming of Abba’s political platform from the Haske Atiku Organisation to the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, signalling a complete realignment and an open declaration of support for President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.