APC Dismisses Fears Over Abba Atiku Defection, Praises Atiku Abubakar’s “Mature Response”

The All Progressives Congress on Friday in Abuja dismissed concerns that the recent defection of Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, could create internal instability within the ruling party, insisting that the APC remains disciplined, structured, and resilient against external influence.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, the party’s Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, said the APC was untroubled by political speculation trailing the development and commended Atiku Abubakar for adopting what he described as a statesmanlike attitude to his son’s decision.

Abba Abubakar formally joined the APC on Thursday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where he was received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, and other party leaders from the North-East.

During the event, he pledged to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and directed members of his political group, the Haske Atiku Organisation, to align with the APC. The group later announced that it had been renamed the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation.

Reacting to the political reactions generated by the defection, Duru dismissed suggestions that Abba could have joined the APC as a destabilising figure or political mole.

“It’s very difficult to discuss father and son relationship. What happens in the family stays in the family. Again, I believe that His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has issued a statement in this respect. He does not impose on his family, children, or Nigerians,” Duru said.

“We should hold him to that and respect the views that he has expressed, with respect to the fact that one of his own sons, instead of joining the ADC, decided to pitch his tent with the APC.

“We commend him, as always, for his mature response to what many may consider to be adversarial to his interests, and then hope that Nigerians will respect his views, with respect to his response to this defection, as well as the view of his son, who has decided, instead of ADC, to be part of the APC.”

The APC official further maintained that the governing party’s internal mechanisms were too strong to be undermined by any individual entrant.

“We welcome all shades of opinion, categories of people that would have seen the overwhelming machine that the APC represents. It is impossible for one man or a person to come into the APC and disrupt the organisation and the discipline for which the APC is noted.

“APC is a political party that is anchored on several pillars. One of such pillars is around discipline, the other is on hierarchy, and then, more importantly, focus on providing leadership at the party level and also as a vehicle for ushering in a Nigeria that all of us can be proud of,” he stated.

The comments followed a public statement earlier released by Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, in which he distanced himself from his son’s political move.

Writing on his verified X account on Thursday, Atiku described Abba’s defection as a personal choice that should not be misinterpreted.

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

“As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians,” he wrote.

While acknowledging his son’s right to political association, the former Vice President restated his strong opposition to the current administration and criticised the APC-led Federal Government.

“What truly concerns me is the poor governance of the APC and the severe economic and social hardships it has imposed on our people,” Atiku added.

“I remain resolute in working with like-minded patriots to restore good governance and offer Nigerians a credible alternative that brings relief, hope, and progress.”

Abba Atiku’s defection has continued to generate debate within political circles, with some analysts interpreting it as a potential shift in alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, the APC leadership insists that the development simply reflects the party’s growing appeal and does not represent any threat to its internal cohesion or political direction.