Abubakar Atiku-Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 PDP presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The move, which took place on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja, carries significant political weight ahead of the 2027 general election. Popularly known as Abba, he pledged his support for the re-election of PresidentBola Tinubu and his administration's “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

During the defection ceremony, Abba was formally received by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, alongside senior APC leaders from the North-east geopolitical zone. He announced his resignation from the PDP and emphasized his alignment with the APC, describing the decision as both historic and deeply personal. Citing his admiration for Senator Jibrin’s leadership and President Tinubu’s political ideology, Abba also directed his former political network, the Haske Atiku Organisation, to merge with the APC and work toward Tinubu’s second-term bid, with the group rebranded as the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation.

APC leaders welcomed Abba’s defection as a strategic gain for the party, particularly in the North-east, where his influence is seen as instrumental for 2027 consolidation. APC National Vice Chairman (North-east), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, lauded the move, describing it as a “timely and symbolic reinforcement of the party’s commitment to national unity and progressive governance.”

The defection is widely interpreted as a signal of growing political realignments in Nigeria, with analysts noting that the younger Atiku’s decision could influence other PDP members in the North-east to reconsider their positions ahead of the next general election. It also underscores the APC’s ongoing strategy to consolidate political influence through strategic defections and alliances.