Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President and 2023 PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has officially left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.

The defection was announced Thursday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where Abba was formally welcomed by Senate Deputy President Senator Barau Jibrin and other APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

Popularly known as “Abba,” he described his move as both historic and personal. He also instructed members of his political organization, the Haske Atiku Organisation, founded in 2022, to join the APC immediately and mobilize support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba. Today, I formally announce my exit from my former party to the APC,” he said. “This decision follows the outstanding leadership and vision of Senator Barau Jibrin. I will now work to actualize President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid, and I urge all coordinators of my association to join the APC and support this agenda.”

Welcoming him into the APC, National Vice Chairman (North-East) Mustapha Salihu called the defection symbolic, describing it as a new phase of “politics without borders.”

“Today is one of my happiest days,” Salihu said. “This young man has studied the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration and decided to align with them. The APC is driven by ideology and policy, and Abba will enjoy equal rights and opportunities within the party.”

Senator Barau Jibrin praised Abba’s decision as “bold, wise, and principled,” emphasizing that it was based on ideology rather than family influence.

“You came here because you believe in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his ideology, and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Barau said. “This is a decision made on conviction, not family ties.”

According to the senator, Abba, who had been observing political developments from the United States, was impressed by the Tinubu administration’s reforms, prompting his return to Nigeria and alignment with the APC.

Presidential aide Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi assured Abba of President Tinubu’s acceptance, saying: “Just like Atiku, Tinubu is also your father. Your decision is like returning home. You and your coordinators have a future in this party.”

Kano State coordinator Hon. Mubarak Musa, speaking on behalf of the defecting group, stated that all future political activities would now be coordinated through Senator Barau, adding:

“We have worked around the clock for our former platform. We will double our efforts and deliver for the APC in 2027.”