Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

The defection was formally announced on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja, where Abubakar was received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside key APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

Popularly known as Abba, the younger Atiku described the move as historic and personal, officially resigning from the PDP and aligning with the APC, which party leaders termed a major political realignment.

Addressing party leaders and supporters at the event, Abubakar directed members of his political structure, the Haske Atiku Organisation, which he 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. 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 said.

He attributed his defection to the leadership style of Senator Barau Jibrin, adding that he would work closely with the Deputy Senate President to actualise President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027. To this effect, I’m directing all coordinators of my association to join the APC and work for President Tinubu,” he added.

Welcoming him into the party, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as symbolic and far-reaching, saying it signalled a new phase of “politics without borders.”

“Today is one of my happiest days. 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,” Salihu said.

He assured Abubakar of full rights and equal opportunities within the party, stressing that the APC was driven by ideology and policy direction rather than personal ambition.

In his remarks, Senator Barau congratulated Abubakar for what he described as a “bold, wise and principled decision,” noting that the move was based on conviction rather than family influence.

“You didn’t come here because of your father. You came because you believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his ideology and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Barau said.

The Deputy President of the Senate disclosed that Abubakar, who had been monitoring political developments from the United States, was impressed by the Tinubu administration’s reforms and outreach, prompting his return to Nigeria and decision to join the APC.

“He is young, focused and determined to contribute to shaping the future of our country. This is the kind of youth Nigeria needs,” Barau added.

Also speaking, a presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, assured Abubakar of President Tinubu’s acceptance and support within the party.

“Just like Atiku, Tinubu is also your father. Your decision is like returning home. You and your coordinators have a future in this party,” Abdullahi said.

On behalf of the defecting group, the Kano State coordinator, Hon. Mubarak Musa, described the move as strategic, noting that all political activities of the group would now be coordinated through Senator Barau.

“We have worked tirelessly for our former platform. We will double our efforts and deliver for the APC in 2027,” Musa said, describing Senator Barau as their political leader and a key pillar of the APC in the North.

The highlight of the event was the formal renaming of Abubakar’s political structure from the Haske Atiku Organisation to the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, signalling a complete political realignment and a clear declaration of support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid ahead of 2027.