The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governors are actively working to prevent former President Muhammadu Buhari and his loyalists from aligning with opposition figures.
Sources within the APC who spoke with Punch have revealed that recent visits to Buhari’s residence in Kaduna were motivated by growing concerns over his perceived stance on the party’s direction.
Naija News reports that an insider at the APC National Secretariat disclosed that the visits by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and the party’s governors were not merely ceremonial, as initially claimed.
Although officially framed as a Sallah visit, the true purpose of the trip was to address rising concerns that Buhari’s “body language” was signaling a potential shift away from the party and towards opposition factions.
A source said, “The leaders are concerned that the ex-president has withdrawn and shown limited support for the current government.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 insider told 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.”
Buhari’s Residence Becomes Hub Of Political Activity Amid Defections To SDP
Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s residence in Kaduna has become a focal point of political discussions and meetings since the Eid-il-Fitr celebrations, especially after reports emerged that key figures from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc within the APC and former ministers under his administration were planning to defect to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The defection of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, to the SDP on March 15, 2025, signaled the growing discontent within the ranks of Buhari’s loyalists.
El-Rufai cited a misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the reason for his departure. A vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, El-Rufai revealed that he had sought Buhari’s approval before making the move.
Other prominent Buhari loyalists, including former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu and former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, have also been reported to be considering defections, fueling speculation about a shift in allegiances within the party.
In response to the growing defections, APC governors visited Buhari on April 7, 2025, for a closed-door meeting. Sources say the governors pleaded with Buhari to intervene and stop further defections, assuring him that the party would address the concerns of his loyalists.
However, just days later, on April 11, opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), visited Buhari at his residence.
Atiku, speaking to journalists after the visit, clarified that the meeting was a courtesy visit for Sallah greetings, denying any connection to opposition coalition talks.
“We came here on courtesy and Sallah greetings visit to President Muhammadu Buhari,” Atiku said. When asked about the possibility of forming a major opposition party, Atiku confirmed that discussions were ongoing but emphasized that the visit was not related to coalition-building efforts.
“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,” he stated.
El-Rufai also downplayed any political undertones of the visit, advising “adversaries” not to lose sleep over it. Despite these reassurances, the visit stirred political speculation, with many wondering about its long-term impact on Buhari’s alignment.
APC NWC Responds To Opposition Leaders’ Visit
In a quick response, the APC National Working Committee (NWC), led by party Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, arrived at Buhari’s residence just hours after the opposition leaders left. Ganduje dismissed concerns about the opposition leaders’ visit, describing it as an attempt to “repeat history.”
He said, “What they are trying to build is not viable. Some particles simply cannot come together. We are not worried at all.”
Ganduje explained that the APC delegation’s purpose was to update Buhari on the party’s progress since his exit from office and to reaffirm their commitment to upholding his legacy.
“We came to brief him on our progress and to reaffirm our commitment to his legacy,” Ganduje added.
While all political figures involved in the visits downplayed the political significance, the gatherings underscore the ongoing efforts by both the ruling APC and opposition leaders to secure Buhari’s support.
His influence in the North remains a powerful asset, with many seeing it as critical to any party’s success in future elections.
Despite the growing political tensions, Buhari has maintained that he remains loyal to the APC, stating that he will always be grateful to the party for providing him with the platform to serve as a two-term president.
“I remain with the APC, and I will forever appreciate the party for giving me the opportunity to serve as president for two terms,” Buhari reaffirmed.
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.
Punch 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.
He said, “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.
The post APC Moves To Prevent Buhari’s Alignment With Opposition appeared first on Naija News.