Deputy Senate President Barau Receives ‘Son Of Ex-VP Atiku’ Into APC

Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Popularly known as “Abba,” the younger Atiku was received on Thursday at the National Assembly by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside key APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

Party leaders described the defection as a major boost to the APC’s consolidation drive ahead of the next general election.

Announcing his defection, Abubakar Atiku said he had resigned from the PDP and decided to fully align with the APC, describing the move as both historic and personal.

“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 decision to what he described as the “outstanding leadership style and quality” of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, as well as the policies and programmes of President Tinubu’s administration.

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

Abba also announced that the political organisation he founded in 2022, formerly known as the Haske Atiku Organisation, would immediately align with the APC.

Welcoming him into the party, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as symbolic and far-reaching.

“Today is one of my happiest days. This defection shows that we are moving 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 the new entrant of equal rights and privileges within the party, stressing that the APC remained a progressive party driven by ideology and policy rather than personal ambition.

In his remarks, Senator Barau Jibrin congratulated Abba for what he described as a “bold, wise, and principled decision,” assuring him and his supporters of maximum support within the APC.

“You took this decision based on ideology. You did not 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 Senate President disclosed that Abba, who had been following political developments from the United States, was impressed by the administration’s reforms and outreach efforts, prompting his return to Nigeria 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 Abba of President Tinubu’s acceptance and support.

“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 group, the Kano State Coordinator of the organisation, Hon. Mubarak Musa, described the defection as a strategic move, noting that their political activities would now be coordinated through Senator Barau.

“We have worked round the clock 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 pillar of the party in the North.

The high point of the event was the renaming of Abba’s political association from Haske Atiku Organisation to Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, signalling a complete realignment of its structure and mission ahead of the 2027 general election.