Questions over the sincerity of Abubakar “Abba” Atiku’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) dominated political discourse on Thursday after a party chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, openly expressed both excitement and suspicion over the development.
Reacting via a social media post, Igbokwe said he welcomed reports that the son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had joined the ruling party but warned against possible internal sabotage.
“I hear that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s son has joined APC. I hope it is real oooo. We do not want a mole in the house oooo. Ka fi suru oooooo,” Igbokwe wrote.
Naijaonpoint reports that Abba Atiku formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC on January 15 at an event held at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
He was received into the party by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), in the presence of senior APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.
At the event, the younger Atiku pledged to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and directed members of his political structure to align with the APC’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Abba’s decision has generated widespread attention, given its timing, coming shortly after his father, Atiku Abubakar, exited the PDP for the African Democratic Congress.
Atiku’s move to the ADC is widely viewed as part of a broader strategy to build an opposition coalition capable of challenging the APC in the 2027 general elections.
The contrasting political paths taken by father and son have further intensified debate across Nigeria’s political space.
Responding to the defection, the former Vice President said his son’s decision was “entirely personal” and should not be interpreted as a reflection of his own political convictions.
In a statement shared on his social media platforms, Atiku stressed that democracy thrives on freedom of choice, even within families.
“As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians,” he said.
Atiku reiterated his criticism of the APC-led Federal Government and reaffirmed his commitment to working with allies to present Nigerians with an alternative platform ahead of 2027.
Naijaonpoint reports that reactions within the APC have been mixed. While some party leaders hailed Abba’s defection as symbolic, others urged caution.
The APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, described the move as reflective of “politics without borders,” welcoming the younger Atiku into the party.
Senator Barau Jibrin also praised Abba’s decision, describing it as bold and driven by conviction rather than family loyalty.
A presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, went further, characterising the defection as a “return home” to the ruling party.
The Lagos State chapter of the APC took a more combative stance, describing Abba’s defection as a serious blow to Atiku Abubakar’s political credibility.
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, the party said it observed “with unmistakable clarity the political earthquake” caused by Abba’s decision to abandon what it termed a “pretentious ADC contraption” for the APC.
“This singular act has said more than a thousand press conferences ever could,” Oladejo said.
He added, “When a man’s own son deserts his political judgment, repudiates his choices, and embraces an alternative path, Nigerians are entitled to ask what deeper indictment of credibility is required.
“If those closest to you are unconvinced by your political convictions, how do you expect an entire nation to suspend disbelief?”
However, not all APC members shared the celebratory mood. A former APC presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, cautioned party faithful against excessive jubilation, describing the defection as troubling rather than a cause for celebration.
Naijaonpoint reports that Abba Atiku’s defection is the latest in a series of political cross-carpeting reshaping party alignments nationwide.
The trend has been particularly pronounced in the North, where both the APC and the emerging opposition coalition around the ADC are intensifying manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 general elections.