Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described his son’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a purely personal decision.
Abba Abubakar, Atiku’s son, recently defected from the PDP to the ruling APC and pledged to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Reacting in a statement, Atiku emphasized that his son’s political choice does not reflect his own stance or convictions.
“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 politics intersects with family, ”Atiku said.
He explained that he does not impose political beliefs on his children or any Nigerian.
“As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians,” he added.
Atiku, however, expressed deep concern over the performance of the ruling party, citing what he described as poor governance and the severe economic and social hardships facing Nigerians under the APC administration.
“I remain resolute in working with like-minded patriots to restore good governance and to offer Nigerians a credible alternative that delivers relief, hope, and progress,” he concluded.
