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Abba Atiku, a son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has formally joined Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress and declared that President Bola Tinubu cannot be defeated in the 2027 presidential election.
Abba completed his registration on Monday at Gwadabwa Ward in Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, where he received his APC membership card and publicly pledged support for Tinubu’s second term bid.
The move adds fresh momentum to the APC as it consolidates support ahead of the next election cycle, particularly in Adamawa, a state long considered a stronghold of the opposition.
Abba had earlier announced his decision to leave his former party on January 15 in Abuja, where he was received at the National Assembly by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin alongside senior APC figures from the North East.
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Speaking after collecting his membership card in Yola, Abba said his decision was shaped by what he described as the Tinubu administration’s economic direction and focus on people centered reforms.
“I want to make it very clear. Nobody or any political party can stop President Bola Tinubu from returning to Aso Rock in 2027,” he said.
Abba said Nigerians were already seeing the results of Tinubu’s policies, arguing that the president’s leadership cuts across ethnic and religious lines.
“He is not a tribalist. He does not make appointments based on religion or region. His decisions are purely on merit,” Abba said, adding that the country had witnessed significant progress in human capital and infrastructure.
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He called on Nigerians to support the president beyond party loyalties, urging wider mobilisation ahead of the next election.
“The President needs support to continue with the good work. We should mobilise people across party lines to stand with him,” he said.
Presenting the APC membership card, the party’s Zonal Vice Chairman for Adamawa Central, Isa Bagalti, said Abba’s defection strengthened the ruling party’s position ahead of 2027.
“With this development, it is clear there is no political party or candidate that can challenge President Tinubu in the next election,” Bagalti told party members.
Another senior APC figure in the state, Jamilu Yusuf, said the president faced no serious rival, dismissing other aspirants as lacking substance.
“Some people see politics like a trade fair. I advise them to invest their money elsewhere because leadership is no longer about who pays the most, but about competence,” Yusuf said.
Abba’s move carries political symbolism, as his father, Atiku Abubakar, remains active in opposition politics and is currently associated with the African Democratic Congress. None of Atiku’s sons are members of that party.
At the Abuja event earlier this month, Abba introduced himself simply and confirmed his break from his former political base.
“My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba,” he said. “I am here to formally announce my exit from my former party and my decision to join the APC.”
He credited Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin’s leadership for influencing his choice and pledged to work closely with him to secure Tinubu’s re election.
“I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027,” Abba said, adding that he had directed coordinators of his political association to join the APC.
