A former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adamu Garba, has cautioned party members against celebrating the defection of Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party.
Garba described the development as troubling rather than commendable in a statement shared on his official X handle on Thursday.
“I am a member of APC, but I don’t think joining our party by Abba, the son of former Vice President, H.E. Atiku Abubakar, is a good deal, especially for APC members who are parents,” he said.
He warned that celebrating such a move carries moral implications, particularly within the context of family loyalty.
“I pray for those celebrating to never see a day that their children jettison them at the time when they are needed most,” Garba added.
According to him, personal political ambition should not override core values, stressing that family loyalty reflects a person’s broader character.
“Any child who dumps his father when he is needed the most will not hesitate to dump you, no matter who else you are,” he stated.
Abba Abubakar had earlier announced his defection from the PDP, the platform on which his father contested the 2023 presidential election against President Bola Tinubu of the APC. He was formally received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, alongside other APC leaders from the North-East, at the National Assembly in Abuja.
“My name is Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, but everyone calls me Abba. I am here today to formally announce my exit from my former party, where we worked in 2023, and my decision to join the APC,” he said at the event.
Abba cited the leadership style of the Deputy Senate President as a major influence on his decision and pledged to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“With this development, I will work with Senator Barau to actualise the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027,” he said.
“To this effect, I’m directing all coordinators of my association to join the APC and work for President Tinubu.”
Reacting separately, Atiku Abubakar said his son’s decision was a personal one and should not be a source of controversy.
“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,” Atiku said.
The former vice president, who recently aligned with an opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), added, “As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to working with like-minded Nigerians “to restore good governance and offer a credible alternative that brings relief, hope, and progress.”
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