As the political atmosphere heats up in anticipation of the 2027 presidential elections, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inner circle is reportedly making urgent moves to stop a looming wave of defections from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The primary concern revolves around the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) faction within the party, which is said to be considering a shift to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
According to a leaked internal memo, President Tinubu is contemplating a strategic political move by engaging Senator Tanko Al-Makura, former Governor of Nasarawa State and a close confidant of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari. The plan involves offering Al-Makura a possible appointment as the APC National Chairman to persuade members of the CPC bloc to stay loyal to the ruling party. The move is also aimed at securing Buhari’s direct involvement in quelling unrest among his political base.
Sources cited by Vanguard reveal that Al-Makura is scheduled to hold a press briefing on Monday, where he is expected to declare Buhari’s alleged commitment to keeping his supporters within the APC fold.
This strategy emerges amid deepening fractures within the ruling party, as a number of high-profile politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and former Imo Governor Achike Udenwa, are reportedly exploring alternative political alignments. Dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s style of governance is said to be a major driver behind these developments.
The leaked memo has further exposed the growing internal strife within the APC and sparked concern over the party’s ability to maintain unity as it prepares for another electoral cycle. In response to the escalating crisis, the APC leadership—comprising National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, the Progressive Governors’ Forum, and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC)—has intensified efforts to bring Buhari into the fold to mediate.
Last week, a high-powered delegation of APC governors led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, visited Buhari at his Kaduna residence, appealing for his intervention to stem the tide of defections.
In a surprising twist, Nasir El-Rufai has publicly claimed that he received Buhari’s blessing to exit the APC, raising questions about the former president’s current loyalty to the party’s leadership. Reports also suggest that several former ministers who served in Buhari’s administration are preparing to switch allegiance to the SDP, particularly in Katsina State—Buhari’s political stronghold—where defections have already started occurring.
Further complicating the situation, just hours after key opposition figures—including Atiku Abubakar, El-Rufai, Tambuwal, and former Minister Isa Pantami—met with Buhari, Ganduje and members of the NWC also held a meeting with the former president in a bid to reinforce party cohesion.
The CPC bloc remains a critical component of the APC, comprising influential figures such as former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, ex-Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Pantami, and former Minister of State for Education Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba. Many within this bloc are reportedly disenchanted with the Tinubu administration and are considering jumping ship ahead of 2027.
If the speculated mass defections materialize, it could pose a significant threat to the APC’s electoral fortunes. Losing a bloc as pivotal as the CPC could disrupt the party’s internal structure, weaken its national influence, and create a power vacuum that rival parties may exploit.
As political realignments continue to unfold, all eyes are on Buhari—whether he chooses to stand by the APC or support his former allies in seeking new political pathways may prove decisive for the 2027 race.
