…Says I do not Coerce My Children in Matters of Conscience
…Source: Abba a Businessman, Not a Politician
By Abu Adamu
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has played down the defection of his son, Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, popularly known as Abba, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the move carries no political weight and does not in any way reflect his own convictions or political direction.
Reacting via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday night, Atiku described his son’s decision as a purely personal choice, stressing that he does not impose political beliefs on his children, just as he would never coerce Nigerians in matters of conscience.
“The decision of my son, Abba Abubakar, to join the APC is entirely personal,” Atiku 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, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians.”
The former vice president, however, made it clear that his real concern remains what he described as the poor governance record of the APC-led administration and the worsening economic and social conditions facing Nigerians.
“What truly concerns me is the poor governance of the APC and the severe economic and social hardships it has imposed on our people,” he said, adding that he remains committed to working with “like-minded patriots” to offer Nigerians a credible alternative anchored on good governance, relief, hope and progress.
Beyond Atiku’s public reaction, a top source close to him told KTH Daily that the defection has been largely dismissed within the Atiku camp as politically insignificant.
According to the source, Abba is one of Atiku’s over 30 children and has never been known as a politician. “He is a businessman and entrepreneur, not a politician,” the source said, adding that until recently, Abba was not even a member of any political party.
The source disclosed that Abba had been more focused on business interests, including a tech-related app project he reportedly wanted his father to finance, an idea Atiku allegedly declined to back due to doubts about its viability.
Sources close to Atiku were also said to be amused by the optics of Abba’s defection, particularly viral videos showing him dressed in full agbada. “Some people even wondered if it was really him, because Abba is more of a jeans-and-shirt person,” the source noted.
From within Atiku’s inner circle, Abba’s move is reportedly viewed as a business-driven decision rather than a political one, possibly aimed at leveraging proximity to the ruling party and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin.
The source further dismissed the political relevance of the Haske Atiku Organisation, which Abba announced had been collapsed into the APC and renamed the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation. “That group was never a consequential political movement,” the source said, alleging that its Kano coordinator, Hon. Mubarak Musa, was the key figure who brokered the arrangement with Senator Barau.
Abba had on Thursday formally announced his defection at the National Assembly, where he was received by Senator Barau and other APC leaders. He pledged total commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid and ordered members of his group to align fully with the APC ahead of 2027.
While the ruling party projected the defection as symbolic and politically strategic, Atiku’s response and the counter-narrative from his camp suggest a deliberate effort to strip the move of any shock value or political capital.
Said our source: “Abba’s defection is a personal, business-influenced decision, not a political earthquake, and certainly not a setback to Atiku’s opposition politics or his critique of the APC’s governance record.”
But for Nigerians, who are more than a little confused about Abba’s true motives, the jury is still out, as they watch what his dance steps ultimately will be in APC.