BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

Abba Atiku, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has led members of his political support group into the All Progressives Congress (APC) camp in Jigawa State, declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group, known as Haske, announced its decision on Monday during a visit to Jigawa, where it formally collapsed its state-wide structure into the ruling party ahead of Tinubu’s scheduled visit to the state on Tuesday.

Abba Atiku, who founded the movement, said the decision was informed by the belief that Tinubu should be allowed to complete his eight-year tenure and fully implement his Renewed Hope agenda.

The development marks a political shift for the group, which was established in 2019 to mobilise support for Atiku Abubakar, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party who is now associated with the opposition African Democratic Congress.

Speaking during the event, Usman Meyari, Director-General of the Haske Bola Ahmed Tinubu Organisation, said the group had decided to support the incumbent president in the interest of political stability and national unity.

Meyari argued that the informal understanding of power rotation between northern and southern Nigeria should be respected, noting that former President Muhammadu Buhari had completed two terms in office before handing over to Tinubu.

He questioned the justification for demanding that the presidency return to the North before Tinubu completes his own expected eight-year tenure, warning that an attempt to replace the president at this stage could create political uncertainty.

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According to him, the group believes supporting Tinubu for another term would help sustain stability and allow the administration to continue its programmes.

Meyari also urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to put national interest above regional and personal political ambitions, insisting that the country's development required cooperation and respect for the informal power-sharing arrangement.

Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi welcomed the delegation and praised its decision to support Tinubu and the APC, describing the move as a contribution to national unity and political stability.

The governor pledged his full backing for the group’s efforts, saying the state government and APC stakeholders would work with its members to secure Tinubu’s re-election.

“I am with you 100 per cent,” Namadi said, adding that the party’s ambition in Jigawa went beyond securing another term for Tinubu, as it intended to deliver an overwhelming majority of the state’s votes to the president.

Meanwhile, the Jigawa State Government has promised a large reception for Tinubu when he visits the state on Tuesday for a working visit and political rally.