Why Buhari Has Become New Darling Of Politicians Ahead Of 2027 Polls

Since former President Muhammadu Buhari returned to his Kaduna home, his house has welcomed political actors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naijaonpoint reports that these political visits to his Kaduna home ahead of 2027 election have again brought to the limelight the former President’s political relevance amid criticisms of his 8 years of administration.

Nasir El-Rufai’s Defection

Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State could be said to be the one who startled all political groups and reminded them of the political relevance of the former president.

El-Rufai, a close ally of Buhari, fell out with President Tinubu and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). According to El-Rufai, Buhari endorsed his defection.

Though Buhari, in a statement clarified that he remained a member of the APC, the ruling party could not sit and relax with just a formal press statement. Especially as El-Rufai played a significant role in Buhari and Tinubu’s emergence as presidents.

APC Governors Visit

After El-Rufai’s defection and statement, the APC Governors Forum, led by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State visited Buhari.

Uzodimma said the visit was reaffirming the party’s allegiance to continuing Buhari’s legacy. He stated that President Tinubu and the APC were proud of Buhari’s legacy in nation-building and his commitment to national development.

The APC Governors Forum Chairman assured the former President that President Tinubu would continue on his legacy.

Report, however, disclosed that the meeting of the governors was to seek the former President’s support for Tinubu ahead of 2027 election.

Atiku and Coalition Team, Ganduje and NWC Visit

Last week, however, spiked a series of political moves to solidify chances ahead of 2027. Former President Buhari’s Kaduna home welcomed afternoon and late-night visits of political actors.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, El-Rufai, former Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Governor Gabriel Suswam, among others paid Buhari a Sallah homage in his Kaduna home. The visit unsettled the national leadership of the APC.

According to Atiku, the visit was not political and had nothing to do with 2027 election and coalition. But how would the APC national leadership and Tinubu’s political caucus accept such words and relax when El-Rufai, who is not APC nor PDP and who has shown his desire to work against the President’s second tenure, was in the delegate that visited Buhari?

El-Rufai further aggravated tension in the APC’s circle with his statement that seemed to reveal more.

“By the way, our adversaries should not lose any sleep. It is not about politics. It is about unity and brotherhood. And since we are all politically irrelevant, we just prayed and enjoyed lunch with our mentor,” El-Rufai posted on his social media platforms.

Therefore, Umar Ganduje led APC’s National Working Committee (NWC), to Buhari’s residence after Atiku’s group’s visit.

Though he said the visit was Sallah homage, addressing the press, he stated that no coaltion to unseat Tinubu in 2027 would work.

The Fear Of Losing Buhari and North

Speaking on the development, the 2019 spokesman of the PDP presidential campaign council, Umar Sani, told Daily Trust that APC needs Buhari and Northern votes.

He explained that Buhari still holds relevance in swaying Northern votes come 2027. He stated that Atiku’s coalition also needs Buhari political bloc in the APC to secure 2027 election. He added that Buhari’s political relevance has not waned.

“Atiku-led coalition needs Buhari in several ways. One, they need him to remove the CPC bloc from the APC, which would weaken the APC and confer advantage on some of the opposition parties. Secondly, Buhari is still the most popular politician in the North,” he said.

On Buhari’s political relevance, he said, “It has not waned significantly to the extent that he has no say in northern politics. He is still very popular with the masses. They still look at him as somebody who is their leader.

“Most people are trying to co-opt him so that if he speaks to the people and to the sentiments of the people, perhaps they will get an advantage. The ruling party is very much aware of that.”

Buhari’s 12 Million Votes

The former spokesman of former Vice President Namadi Sambo further emphasized Buhari’s 12 million votes which he gets from North. He stated that any of the groups Buhari agrees to embrace in 2027 would be confident of having his voting bloc.

“Now, most people believe that with Buhari, at least, northern votes are secured. You can get votes in those areas that were previously no-go zones for any political party. So, the shift is predicated on the fact that, as a tested politician—even as a military man—he was very popular, but his popularity was dwarfed when he was overthrown. But now that his popularity has refused to wane, most people will now shift to Buhari. And anybody that Buhari embraces in 2027 should be confident of having quite a significant number of votes in the North,” Sani stated.