A ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, has reacted to the defection of Abubakar “Abba” Atiku, son of former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, from the PDP to the APC.

Abba officially left the PDP and joined the APC on January 15 at an event held at the National Assembly in Abuja.

He was accepted into the ruling party by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), alongside senior APC leaders from the North-East geopolitical zone.

At the event, Abba pledged to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for re-election in 2027 and directed members of his political platform to align with the APC’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The development has reverberated across Nigeria’s political space, coming against the backdrop of Atiku’s own recent political shift.

After years in the PDP, Atiku, a leading opposition figure, joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The move is seen as part of efforts to build a broader coalition to challenge the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reacting to his son’s defection, Atiku Abubakar said the decision was “entirely personal” and underscored his commitment to democratic norms.

In a statement posted on his social media, he said individual political choices, even within families, should not be regarded as unusual or alarming in a democracy.

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

He restated his criticism of the APC’s governance and outlined his resolve to work with allies to offer Nigerians an alternative.

There have been mixed reactions from the ruling party ranks to Abba’s move.

APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, described the defection as symbolic and reflective of “politics without borders,” welcoming the younger Atiku into the party fold.

Senator Jibrin also hailed Abba’s decision as bold and principled, saying it was based on conviction rather than family ties.

A presidential aide, Alhaji Mahmoud Abdullahi, went further to describe the move as a form of “return home” to the APC.

The Lagos State chapter of the APC described the decision as a major blow to Atiku’s political credibility.

Its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Thursday said the party noted “with unmistakable clarity the political earthquake” occasioned by Abba’s decision to abandon the “pretentious ADC contraption” and pitch his tent with the APC.

“This singular act has said more than a thousand press conferences ever could,” Oladejo said.

He added that “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”.

For his part, a former APC presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, cautioned party members against celebrating the development, describing it as troubling rather than commendable.

Amid these reactions, Joe Igbokwe has weighed in expressing optimism and caution.

In a social media post, he welcomed news of the younger Atiku’s defection but cautioned the party against internal sabotage.

According to him, “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.”

Daily Trust reports that the younger Atiku’s move is the latest in a wave of defections and political cross carpeting reshaping party alignments across the country.

The trend is pronounced across the country particularly in the North, where both the APC and the emerging opposition coalition anchored around the ADC are positioning for advantage ahead of the 2027 elections. (Daily Trust)