As a Democrat, I don’t Coerce my Children and wont Coerce Nigerians – Atiku speaks on son’s defection to APC

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he is unperturbed by his son, Abubakar Atiku Abubakar’s, decision to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a personal choice.

Atiku, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he does not coerce his children on political matters, stressing that individual freedom of choice is a core principle of democracy.

He stated this in a statement posted on his official social media accounts on Thursday, shortly after the news went viral.

Mr Abubakar, also called Abba, had earlier in the day defected to the APC in Abuja.

“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. As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians,” he said.

The former vice president, however, said his major concern was the poor governance record of the APC-led government and the economic hardship facing Nigerians.