Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president, has described the decision of Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as "courageous and ideological."

Legit.ng reports that in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) page on Friday, January 16, Jibrin stated that Abba "made this decision based on conviction, not because of who his father is, but because he believes in President Bola Tinubu's ideology and programmes for the country."

Barau explains Atiku's son’s defection

Ahead of the 2027 election, Abba was received into the ruling party on Thursday, January 15, in Abuja by Jibrin and Mustafa Salihu, national vice-chairman of the APC in the north-east. He resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Abba also announced the renaming of his political group, originally established in 2022 as the Atiku Haske Organisation, to the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation. He directed all coordinators and members of his political structure to immediately join the APC and mobilise support for Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

Reacting, Jibrin assured the former vice-president's son of maximum support within the APC.

Jibrin said:

"He has been following political developments of the country from the United States and was impressed by the administration’s reforms and outreach efforts, prompting him to return home and join the APC."

Some photos from the reception for Abba can be viewed below:

Welcoming Atiku’s Son to APC

Yesterday at the National Assembly, I formally received Abubakar Atiku Abubakar (popularly known as Abba), the son of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, into our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a bold and historic move,… pic.twitter.com/ya4Lu3pKAU

— Barau I. Jibrin (@barauijibrin) January 16, 2026

Atiku reacts to son's defection

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku has addressed his son Abba’s decision to join the APC, describing it as a personal choice.

In a statement posted on his X handle, Atiku said, “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.”