In a stunning political shift, Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, popularly known as Abba and the son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has officially left the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
A Historic Defection at the National Assembly
The dramatic move was formalised on Thursday, 15 January 2026, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. Abba was received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside key APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone. Party officials hailed the event as a major political realignment with significant symbolic weight.
Addressing the gathering, Abba announced his resignation from the PDP, the party his father led as a presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. He described his decision to join the APC as both historic and deeply personal.
Mobilising for Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda
In his declaration, Abba made his mission clear: to work for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. He directed the entire structure of his political organisation, the Haske Atiku Organisation founded in 2022, to immediately defect to the APC and begin mobilising support for the President's Renewed Hope Agenda.
"My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba," he stated. "I am here today to formally announce my exit from my former party... and my decision to join the APC. With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027."
APC Hails 'Politics Without Borders'
The APC's National Vice Chairman for the North-East, Mustapha Salihu, warmly welcomed the new member. He described Abba's defection as far-reaching and symbolic of a new phase in Nigerian politics, which he termed "politics without borders."
"Today is one of my happiest days," Salihu said. "We are looking beyond old social and political cleavages. This young man has seen the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration and decided to align with them." He assured Abba of full rights and equal opportunities within the APC, emphasising that the party is driven by ideology and policy, not personal ambition.
The defection of a prominent figure from the Atiku political dynasty marks a notable moment in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, potentially reshaping political calculations and alliances in the North-East and beyond.
