A pro-Atiku Abubakar political support group has officially expelled Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President and serial presidential contender Atiku Abubakar, following his high-profile defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) last week.
The organisation, known as the Atiku Haske Organisation (AHO), issued a statement on Sunday denouncing Abba’s manoeuvre to shift its political alignment and directing its members to join the APC and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections.
AHO’s convener, Hon. Mai Nagge Musa Bakari, stressed that Abba had no formal authority within the group — emphasising that he was invited to join but was neither the founder nor an official leader. Bakari said Abba never contributed to the group’s finances nor held its registration documents, thereby lacking the legal standing to issue political directives.
“The directive issued by Abba is a nullity and is dead on arrival,” the organisation declared, urging him to stop presenting himself as a member and challenging him to form his own structure if he so wishes.
The statement reiterated that the Atiku Haske Organisation has collectively resolved to affiliate with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — the party where Atiku Abubakar is expected to pursue a presidential bid — and has no intention of defecting to the APC or backing any rival platform.
Abba’s defection to the APC took place on Thursday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where he was officially received by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, and other APC leaders. During the event, he declared public support for President Tinubu’s potential second term.
In a related development, the APC has publicly commended former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for respecting his son’s personal political choice, dismissing concerns that the shift could undermine party unity. The ruling party insisted that Abba’s defection does not signal any destabilisation within its ranks.
Political commentators suggest the unfolding episode highlights ongoing fractures and strategic realignments within Nigeria’s opposition politics, as key figures and support networks adjust their loyalties in the run-up to elections that are increasingly shaping up to be highly competitive.
Political analysts and party stakeholders have described the expulsion of Abba Atiku Abubakar from the Atiku Haske Organisation (AHO) as a reflection of the growing ideological and strategic fault lines within Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, political analyst Dr. Sam Amadi said the incident underscores the personalisation of politics in Nigeria and the difficulty opposition leaders face in maintaining cohesive structures.
“This episode shows that political loyalty in Nigeria is no longer strictly ideological but transactional and strategic. The fact that Atiku’s own son has taken a different political path highlights how fragmented opposition politics has become,” Amadi said.
Similarly, public affairs commentator Auwal Musa Rafsanjani noted that the support group’s swift action was aimed at protecting its identity and political relevance.
“Support groups thrive on clarity of purpose. Once Abba defected and attempted to move the structure with him, the organisation had little choice but to draw a line to avoid confusion among its members,” he stated.
Within the APC, party insiders described Abba’s defection as a symbolic boost rather than a strategic game-changer. A senior party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ruling party welcomed the move but was careful not to frame it as a direct blow to Atiku Abubakar.
“The APC sees this as an individual political decision. It does not automatically translate into the collapse of Atiku’s political base,” the source said.
Opposition figures, however, warned that such developments could weaken collective efforts to challenge the ruling party in 2027 if not properly managed.
