Following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari last Sunday, intense lobbying has begun within the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc as prominent figures vie to fill the vacuum left by the late leader.
Though the CPC formally merged into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, Buhari’s passing has rekindled old alignments as political heavyweights from his former base attempt to reclaim relevance within the ruling party.
At the centre of the fresh leadership tussle are former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, and the Director-General of the Confederation of APC Support Groups, Prof Muhammad Kailani.
Others jostling for influence include Buhari’s 2011 running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, and NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), Katsina State Governor, Dr Dikko Radda, former Katsina Governor, Aminu Masari, and former APC National Secretary, Waziri Bulama.
Additional names associated with the CPC legacy include former VON DG, Osita Okechukwu, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Hon. Aliyu Adamu Farouk, former presidential aide, Okoi Obono-Obla, and several members of the 7th National Assembly, including Senator Ibrahim Musa, Hon. Sanusi Aliyu, and Hon. Ibrahim Chachangi.
Despite the apparent jostling, some senior figures, such as Senator Abu Ibrahim, maintain that the CPC bloc formally ceased to exist after the APC merger.
However, developments since Buhari’s death suggest otherwise. Multiple sources who spoke with Daily Trust indicate that several loyalists have begun positioning themselves as the ideological and political successors to Buhari’s legacy.
Former Governor Al-Makura appears to be the most prominent name in the race. Speaking through his aide, Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad, a member of the APC Independent Presidential Campaign Council in 2023, Al-Makura declared that he is the rightful leader of the bloc, enjoying wide-ranging support.
“Look at the recent press conference at Yar’Adua Centre. Al-Makura was the leader, supported by Senator Abu Ibrahim, Gen Buba Marwa (rtd), Governor Dikko Radda, Chief Osita Okechukwu, Barrister Obla, and many others,” Muhammad said.
Al-Makura is being described by allies as the man who held the CPC together in its most fragile years and as the only governor ever elected under the CPC banner.
Support has also come from other party leaders. Bauchi APC chieftain, Labib Abdullahi Mahmood, described Al-Makura as a “silent hurricane” who has “paid his dues since 1979.”
“He held the CPC together when many wanted to leave. He met with both Buhari and Tinubu in London, and Tinubu promised to compensate the bloc. It’s clear where leadership lies,” Mahmood stated.
Similarly, the chairman of the North Central APC Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, affirmed Al-Makura’s seniority within the bloc, stating, “Even Buhari acknowledged him as the highest-ranking member. Others, like Buba Galadima, have long since left. Al-Makura remains the most senior and most consistent.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Muhammad Kailani has also thrown his hat into the ring, pointing to his long-standing support for Buhari across several party platforms.
“I started with Buhari from the APP to ANPP, to CPC, and finally APC. Before he left, he asked us to support this government, and we did. We brought this government,” Kailani said.