By Peter Omopo
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the defection of Abubakar Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as a major political development with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s political landscape.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the party said the younger Atiku’s decision to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and align with the APC reflected a growing loss of confidence in his father’s political leadership.
The Lagos APC characterised the move as a “political earthquake,” arguing that it amounted to a rejection of what it described as “pretentious political arrangements” and a clear endorsement of the APC’s governance philosophy and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the party, the defection carried strong symbolic significance, noting that when a close family member of a leading political figure publicly chooses a different political path, it raises questions about the credibility and conviction of that leader’s political direction.
The party also criticised Atiku Abubakar’s long political career, describing it as marked by frequent party defections and shifting alliances driven by personal ambition rather than ideology. It cited his movement across different political parties over the years as evidence of what it termed political inconsistency.
The Lagos APC further stated that Abubakar Atiku Abubakar’s defection represented a generational rejection of what it described as “recycled politics and expired ambitions,” adding that Nigerians were increasingly demanding leadership founded on conviction, stability and clear ideology.
Welcoming the new entrant, the party urged Nigerians to see the development as a sign that political loyalty and credibility begin at home, arguing that leaders who cannot command confidence within their immediate circle would struggle to earn the trust of the wider electorate.
The statement concluded by calling on Nigerians to support what it described as a new era of principled politics under the APC.
