Abba Abubakar, the son of the former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has joined the All Progressives Congress from the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party, declaring his total support for President Bola Tinubu’s second term.

Mr Abubakar’s defection was announced at the National Assembly, Abuja, on Thursday, amid ongoing permutations ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The younger Abubakar was formally received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside key APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

The politician, who declared his total support for Mr Tinubu-led administration, urged his supporters to immediately join the APC and mobilise support for Mr Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“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,” the younger Abubakar said. “My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba.”

Speaking further, the politician stated, “Today, I’m here to formally announce my exit from my former party to the APC following the outstanding leadership style and quality of His Excellency, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin.

“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.”

The APC national vice chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, who welcomed Mr Abubakar, described his defection as symbolic, saying it reflected a new phase of borderless politics.

“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,” Mr Salihu stated.

In his remarks, Mr Barau described Mr Abubakar’s decision as bold and wise and assured him of maximum support in the ruling party.

“You have made a decision based on ideology. 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,” the politician explained.

Meanwhile, the former vice president said the decision of his son to join the ruling party was entirely personal.

“The decision of my son, Abba Abubakar, to join the APC is entirely personal,” Mr Abubakar said in a Thursday statement on X. “In a democracy, such choices are neither unusual nor alarming, even when family and politics intersect.”

Noting that his son’s defection to APC was not based on coercion, the ADC chieftain maintained that he was concerned about the poor leadership of the APC.

“As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians. What truly concerns me is the poor governance of the APC and the severe economic and social hardships it has imposed on our people,” he explained.

The politician reiterated his readiness to work with like-minded patriots to restore good governance and offer Nigerians a credible alternative that brings relief, hope and progress.