Politics
2027: APC, anti-Tinubu coalition battle for Buhari’s support
The All Progressives Congress and governors elected under the party are actively working to stop former President Muhammadu Buhari and his loyalists from aligning with opposition figures.
According to an insider at the APC National Secretariat, this is the reason behind the visits of the National Working Committee and APC governors to Buhari at his residence in Kaduna State.
Beyond the claim of a Sallah visit, the credible source stated that the NWC and the APC governors visited Buhari over growing concern that the ‘body language’ of the former president was not in favour of the party.
“The leaders are concerned that the ex-president has withdrawn and shown limited support for the current government. They observed that opposition figures have taken advantage of Buhari’s openness to create the impression that his spirit and body language are no longer with the APC. That is why the NWC had to visit him to show that he still belongs to the APC and ward off any negative impression among party members, especially from his followers in the North.
“Importantly, the party acknowledges that the North is uncomfortable with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and is clearly planning not to support his second term. The APC leadership decided to dissuade the former president from making himself available to opposition figures who have been visiting him,” the impeccable source said.
The insider told Sunday PUNCH that the APC leadership had taken “Buhari’s body language more seriously,” noting that they could not afford to let the opposition “hijack” him from them.
He said, “The party leaders have realised that there is fire on the mountain, and they have begun to move closer to Buhari than before. The body language of the former president clearly shows that his spirit is no longer with the APC. They are now taking his actions and inactions more seriously. The leaders are trying to ensure that the APC doesn’t lose Buhari and his followers to the strategic moves of the likes of Atiku.”
Coalition befriends Buhari
Buhari’s residence in Kaduna has become a sort of Mecca since the Eid-il-Fitr celebrations, especially following reports that the Congress for Progressive Change bloc of the APC and some former ministers who served under the ex-president were planning to defect to the Social Democratic Party.
One of Buhari’s loyalists and former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, defected to the SDP on March 15, citing a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his decision.
El-Rufai, a vocal critic of President Tinubu’s administration, revealed that he sought Buhari’s approval before leaving the APC.
Buhari’s loyalists in the defections were the former National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, and former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Following the report, APC governors visited Buhari on April 7 and held a closed-door meeting with him.
The governors reportedly pleaded with Buhari to halt the defections, promising that the party would address the grievances of his loyalists.
However, three days later (April 11), opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and governors of Kaduna and Sokoto states, Nasir El-Rufai and Aminu Tambuwal, among other notable politicians, also visited Buhari.
Atiku, speaking to journalists at Buhari’s residence, said the visit was for Sallah homage, explaining that it was not part of any opposition coalition talks.
“We came here on courtesy and Sallah greetings visit to President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.
When asked about plans to form a major opposition party, Atiku acknowledged ongoing discussions but made it clear that this was not the purpose of the visit.
“There is a plan for the major political parties to come together and form a strong opposition, but it is not part of this visit,” Atiku stated.
Also speaking during the visit, El-Rufai said the meeting had no political undertones, advising “adversaries” not to lose sleep over it.
However, in a swift move, the APC NWC, led by the party Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, stormed Buhari’s residence a few hours after the opposition leaders left.
Addressing journalists after the visit, Ganduje said the APC was not worried by Atiku’s visit, describing it as another attempt to repeat history.
“What they are trying to build is not viable. Some particles simply cannot come together. We are not worried at all,” he stated.
Ganduje explained that the APC leaders visited Buhari to brief him on the party’s progress since his exit from office and to reaffirm their commitment to upholding his legacy.Although all political figures involved in the visit described it as mere Sallah homage, there are indications that both the ruling party and opposition leaders are courting the former president’s support.
Buhari’s influence in the North has been a significant strength for the APC, which is now facing growing resentment from northerners.
This is as the former president maintained that he remained with the APC and would forever appreciate the party for giving him the platform to be a two-term president.
Visitations about 2027 elections
Sources close to former president Atiku told Sunday PUNCH that the visits were related to the 2027 general elections.
“It’s all about the 2027 general election, particularly the presidency. The visit was geared towards coalition building, not a merger,” one of the sources said.
Another source added, “The visit is to poach Buhari’s loyalists from the APC bloc. These are forces to reckon with since Tinubu has abandoned them, and they know that Buhari cannot help anyone in the 2027 elections. The only option is for Atiku to poach loyalists of the former president from the CPC bloc.”
Atiku had on March 20 announced the formation of a Coalition of Opposition Political Parties to oust President Tinubu in 2027, amid growing resentment against the president in the North.
“Many northerners are unhappy with the current government, except those in the government. A lot is being done to remove Tinubu in 2027,” a political leader in Kaduna State said.
Our correspondent gathered that Atiku and other northerners were intensifying efforts to gain Buhari’s support through his loyalists in the former CPC, now part of the APC.
Why APC, anti-Tinubu politicians want Buhari’s support – Associate
But Mohammed Lawal, a long-time political associate of Buhari, said the ex-president could not stop his loyalists from leaving the APC if they wanted to.
Lawal, who was the deputy director of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council in 2015, noted that although Buhari had declared his position not to leave the APC, he would respect his loyalists’ decisions.
“The party (APC) gave him the chance to be president for two terms, so separating him from that party is not going to be easy; but there is a limit to which he can force his loyalists to work for the APC.
“For example, if President Buhari decides to support the coalition, I’m sure you will see that in the 90 per cent of his people that are in the coalition, and what is he going to do? Is it to fight against the 90 per cent? So, that is what you are seeing now; everybody is struggling to reach him.
“But there is a limit to what he can do and if 80 or 90 per cent of his people decide to leave, he has to decide.”
Lawal, however, queried the appointments of President Tinubu and the economic hardship in the country.
He said, “It has never been done the way it is (being) done; every administration that has come use to incline a little bit towards its own people either being ethnicity, religion, but this one actually it’s too much according to what you are hearing and what you are seeing within the country.”
On Buhari’s relevance, the associate said, “Buhari is still a big interest within the political circle in the North; how many former heads of states do we have that went through the political rigmarole to become president in the North? I don’t think there is anyone behind Buhari now. Babangida was Head of State with his military background, so also General Abudulsallam; Shagari is gone. So naturally, politicians in the North, even those that are outside APC will look towards Buhari for political direction and advice, so do not be surprised if you see Buhari’s residence in Kaduna being turned into a political Mecca of some sort. I’m not surprised; Buhari is going to continue to be more relevant, especially as 2027 is going to be very tough politically for this country.”
Lawal also noted that opposition figures sought Buhari’s support far ahead because they recognized his electoral value.
He said the ex-president would take the right decision no matter what anyone said about him.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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