Nigeria’s march toward the 2027 elections has entered a dangerous new phase, with the once-unshakable Buhari political bloc tearing away from the All Progressives Congress, APC, and shifting toward former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. In a dramatic twist that has shaken Abuja, loyalists of the late President Muhammadu Buhari openly declared support for Atiku, even as President Bola Tinubu staged a symbolic visit to Buhari’s family in Kaduna to reclaim lost ground.
The development marks a seismic realignment. State chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Buhari’s original power base met privately at Atiku’s residence in Abuja and announced their allegiance to his coalition under the African Democratic Congress, ADC. Once regarded as Buhari’s most trusted grassroots machinery, the CPC bloc has now thrown its weight behind Atiku in what could become a decisive blow to Tinubu’s northern fortress.
One CPC leader did not mince words: “Bring it out, make it visible. Politics does not operate in the corner. We are the true followers of Buhari, and we are here today, Sir. The CPC bloc is intact. President Muhammadu Buhari has left an unprecedented mark in this country, and we will not allow it to be lost.”
Atiku, seizing the moment, warmly welcomed the group and cast himself as the custodian of Buhari’s legacy. “This meeting represents a continuation of your journey and your struggles. With your support, we will translate this journey into success,” he said, urging the bloc to drive voter registration to transform symbolic loyalty into raw electoral power.
But the move triggered a counterstrike. At the weekend, President Tinubu traveled to Kaduna, attending the wedding of Senator Abdul’aziz Yari’s son before paying a courtesy call on Aisha Buhari, widow of the late president. The optics were impossible to ignore: Tinubu standing in Buhari’s family home, a calculated gesture to reassert himself as the rightful heir to Buhari’s legacy.
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The clash is no longer about personalities but about memory and ownership of Buhari’s political brand. For Atiku, embracing CPC loyalists is a chance to mobilize Buhari’s grassroots networks against APC. For Tinubu, symbolic acts such as the Kaduna visit are designed to remind the northern electorate that Buhari’s mantle belongs to him.
With voter registration now a flashpoint, both camps are preparing for a bruising battle. If Buhari’s base shifts firmly to Atiku and the ADC, APC risks losing its dominance in regions once thought impregnable. If Tinubu succeeds in holding the bloc, he preserves APC’s northern backbone heading into 2027.
Nigeria is witnessing a rare political duel, one of legacy, memory, and raw numbers. Buhari’s loyalists have spoken. Atiku has embraced them. Tinubu has responded with dramatic symbolism. What happens next could redraw Nigeria’s political map and decide the future of 2027.
