The All Progressives Congress has commended former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his mature response to his son’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling party.
The APC Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, made the remarks while dismissing speculation that Abba Atiku’s move could destabilise the APC.
Duru stated, “We commend him, as always, for his mature response to what many may consider to be adversarial to his interests, and then hope that Nigerians will respect his views, with respect to his response to this defection, as well as the view of his son, who has decided, instead of ADC, to be part of the APC.”
He emphasized that Atiku had rightly distanced himself from his son’s decision, reflecting democratic values. “He does not impose on his family, children, or Nigerians. We should hold him to that and respect the views that he has expressed,” Duru added.
Responding to fears that Abba Atiku could be entering the APC as a mole, Duru dismissed such concerns, insisting the party is too structured and disciplined to be infiltrated.
“It is impossible for one man or a person to come into the APC and disrupt the organisation and the discipline for which the APC is noted,” he stated.
Atiku broke his silence on Thursday via his X account, describing his son’s choice as “entirely personal.” He wrote, “In a democracy, such choices are neither unusual nor alarming, even when family and politics intersect. As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience.”
However, he reiterated his criticism of the APC-led government, stating, “What truly concerns me is the poor governance of the APC and the severe economic and social hardships it has imposed on our people.”
Abba Atiku announced his defection at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where he was received by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin. He pledged to support President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid and directed his political structure, now renamed the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, to join the APC.
