By Abiola Olawale
The political atmosphere ahead of 2027 political race in Nigeria has taken a new dimension following a visit by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to the immediate past President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna residence on Friday, April 11, 2025.
The visit came a few hours after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, led a delegation of opposition figures to pay Sallah homage to Buhari.
It was gathered that Ganduje’s delegation, which included key APC stalwarts, was described as a strategic move to reaffirm the party’s unity and loyalty to Buhari, a founding figure of the APC and leader of its Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc.
Sources within the party suggest the visit was prompted by concerns over recent political realignments, particularly after Atiku and El-Rufai’s high-profile appearance.
The opposition delegation, which included notable figures like former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal and former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, has fueled rumours of a potential coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
While Atiku’s camp framed their visit as a non-political Sallah courtesy call, El-Rufai’s recent defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and his vocal criticism of the APC’s leadership intensified speculation about a broader opposition strategy.
However, speaking to reporters after the visit, El-Rufai insisted the meeting had no political undertones, advising “adversaries” not to lose sleep over it.
