Despite recent waves of high-profile defections into its fold, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is battling deepening internal rifts that threaten its cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Fresh concerns are mounting over the potential exit of loyalists from the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), amid power struggles in key states and pressure from a revitalised opposition coalition led by former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.
The resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje as national chairman has intensified leadership uncertainty, particularly in Kano, while factional crises continue to paralyse party structures in Benue, Rivers, and Lagos.
There are also growing concerns about a rumoured rift between President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima—despite efforts to project unity following the appointment of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda as APC national chairman.
The death of former president Muhammadu Buhari has left a vacuum among CPC loyalists and northern blocs. Without Buhari’s commanding presence, analysts warn that his loyal base could fragment, weakening the party’s hold on its northern strongholds.
Prominent figures including Nasir el-Rufai, Babachir Lawal, and Abubakar Malami have distanced themselves from the APC and are backing a new coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
ANPP loyalists, represented by Professor Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, have threatened mass defections, accusing the Tinubu administration of marginalising their bloc.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ajumbe demanded key appointments and the vice-presidential slot in 2027 to maintain their support.
However, APC national secretary Ajibola Basiru dismissed the existence of the ANPP bloc, calling it “imaginary.”
Intra-party conflict continues to fester across states. In Benue, Governor Hyacinth Alia and SGF George Akume are locked in a fierce struggle for party control, dividing the state chapter into rival factions.
In Rivers, Tony Okocha and Emeka Beke are battling for legitimacy ahead of local government primaries.
In Lagos, recent local government elections have sparked protests over alleged candidate imposition and leadership bias, with demonstrators demanding the removal of state chairman Cornelius Ojelabi and lawmaker James Faleke.
Following Ganduje’s exit, Kano APC is facing a leadership crisis. Power tussles now involve Senate Deputy President Barau Jibrin, 2023 governorship candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, and state party chairman Abdullahi Abbas.
Ganduje’s departure is rumoured to be part of President Tinubu’s broader strategy to woo Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso back into the APC—a move that could tilt Kano’s political balance toward the Kwankwasiyya movement and further marginalise Ganduje loyalists.
Political observers warn that if the APC fails to resolve its growing internal discord, it risks losing ground to a more organised and energised opposition in the 2027 elections.
The party’s unity is fraying, and unless urgent steps are taken to mend fences, the APC could face its toughest political battle since its formation in 2014.