Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the coalition African Advanced Congress (ADC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have increased the intensity of their power of lobby and ability to woo politicians of the bloc of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) into their fold.
The bloc of the CPC which is known to be main apostles and followers of late former President Muhammadu Buhari are already sharply divided and spread between the ADC and APC.
However, he Interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, said that several of late President Buhari’s close allies in the defunct CPC had joined the opposition coalition.
This was as he also said that Buhari’s legacy would be better preserved by the coalition, stressing that the APC which alienated and vilified the late president during his lifetime, is now striving to use his death to play politics, saying that unfortunately for the ruling party, the people understand the intrigues they are involved in.
Abdullahi specifically said that majority of the members of the CPC bloc in the APC, particularly from the entire North are already with the ADC and expressed confidence that the death of the former President will only the fact that CPC members belong to the ADC since that was his wish when he was alive — that his members should join the coalition.
In the words of Abdullahi; “As you can see, there is a strong representation of CPC and Buhari loyalists in the senior ranks of the coalition — the likes of Babachir Lawal, Abubakar Malami, Isah Pantami, Emeka Nwajuba, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola and the rest of them.
Those are Buhari people and their presence in the leadership of the coalition indicates that that is where Buhari stood,” he said.
“Why would they remain part of the APC? Is it because they enjoy the humiliation and the exclusion they have suffered or because they have watched the government demonise the legacy of Buhari while he was alive?” he asked.
Abdullahi pointedly accused the Tinubu-led administration of scapegoating Buhari for Nigeria’s economic difficulties and blamed Buhari for almost every economic woe, saying; “So, why would Buhari followers or loyalists remain with the APC?”
Also speaking, a chieftain of the ADC coalition, Dr Salihu Lukman, who was National Vice Chairman-North-West, of the APC, has said that Buhari’s death marked the end of an era in which political endorsement from the late President practically guaranteed electoral success.
Lukman, who stated this when he featured on Arise TV, noted that what people must learn, especially in the coalition, is the fact that they don’t have somebody with the kind of intimidating profile like that of the late President Buhari.
He said; “Our leaders must have a kind of team spirit. It is not about succeeding to defeat APC and Tinubu, but succeeding to produce a new, fresh political template that will begin to meet the expectations of Nigerians.”
Lukman therefore tasked politicians to demonstrate humility, honour their promises, and reconnect with the citizens, stressing that politicians must relate with citizens with higher humility rather than the current arrogance by the Tinubu-led government.
In its own response to the speculations of defection, Bala Ibrahim, Director of Publicity of the APC, said Buhari’s loyalists remained ideologically aligned with the ruling party, saying it is not possible for them to dump the APC.
According to him; “They are people of different ideologies. They are more comfortable with and in APC. Yes, Buhari’s passing created a vacuum, but believe that it would serve as an opportunity for party introspection.
Ibrahim further said; “Yes, the political atmosphere will change for our party. But it is not a vacuum that will deform the party. It is a vacuum that will push the party into sobriety. The party is working hard to reconcile, reassess the situation, and see to it that there is a very good sense of mending”.
