Abba Atiku joins APC as the son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar formally defected to the ruling party to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Abba Atiku Abubakar announced his move on Thursday evening in Abuja, where he was received by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and APC North-East Vice Chairman Mustafa Salihu. The defection marks a high-profile political shift ahead of the 2027 general election.
Following his entry into the party, Abba unveiled the renaming of his political movement. The Atiku Haske Organisation, formed in 2022, has now been rebranded as the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation. He immediately instructed all coordinators and members of his structure nationwide to defect to the APC and begin grassroots mobilisation for Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
Declaring his decision, Abba said he had formally exited his former party, where he was active during the 2023 elections. He explained that his move was influenced by the leadership style of Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and the policy direction of the Tinubu administration. He pledged to work closely with party leaders to secure Tinubu’s second-term ambition in 2027.
APC leaders described the defection as symbolic and politically significant. Salihu said the party was moving beyond old political divisions and emphasised that the APC is driven by ideology and governance priorities, not personal ambition. He assured Abba of equal opportunities within the ruling party.
Barau congratulated Abba for what he called a bold and principled choice, stressing that the decision was based on belief in Tinubu’s leadership rather than family influence. He added that Abba had closely followed political developments from the United States and was impressed by ongoing reforms, youth inclusion, and national outreach efforts.
The defection comes amid a wave of opposition politicians joining the APC. The ruling party has also launched a nationwide electronic membership revalidation exercise, with party officials projecting millions of digitally verified members within weeks.
