Manny Ita
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian political establishment, Abba Atiku Abubakar, the son of former Vice President and opposition leader Atiku Abubakar, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The high-profile defection was formalized in mid-January 2026 at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where he was received by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and other top-ranking party officials.
Speaking during his reception, Abba Atiku stated that his decision was rooted in a desire to support the “Renewed Hope” agenda of the current administration, which he believes is the most viable path for the country’s progress. “No one can defeat President Tinubu in 2027,” Abba reportedly declared, asserting that the President’s economic reforms have begun to yield results that Nigerians are witnessing firsthand. He further directed the members of the Haske Atiku Organisation—a political pressure group formerly aligned with his father—to immediately begin mobilizing grassroots support for the APC across the North-East and the federation.
The timing of the defection is particularly significant as his father, Atiku Abubakar, recently transitioned from the PDP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to lead an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a brief response to the development, the former Vice President described his son’s move as a “personal decision” and an exercise of his democratic rights, though he reaffirmed his own commitment to challenging the APC-led government. “My son is an adult, and like every Nigerian, he has the right to associate with any political platform of his choice,” the elder Atiku stated through a media aide, while maintaining that his focus remains on providing a “credible alternative” to the current administration.
Political strategists view Abba’s defection as a symbolic victory for the APC, aimed at weakening the Atiku political dynasty in its home base of Adamawa State and the wider North-East region. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin hailed the move as a “testament to the growing acceptance” of the APC’s policies among the youth and the political elite. This development adds to a string of high-level defections to the ruling party this week, following the arrival of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau.
The move has sparked intense debate within political circles, with opposition figures questioning the optics of the defection while APC stalwarts celebrate it as a masterstroke in their 2027 strategy.
