• ADC may gain dominance over Buhari’s 12 million votes
• ADC: “Several CPC Loyalists Are Working with Us.”
By Abiola Olawale
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing the danger of a potential huge fracture with devastating political consequences that would affect its fortune and reshape the entire political landscape.
This is as the demise of the immediate past two term President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on July 13, 2025, has triggered a wave of uncertainty hanging precariously over the APC, as many loyalists of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc, which Buhari founded, are said to be defecting to the opposition coalition ADC in large numbers.
Reports indicate that some of these loyalists, who feel sidelined by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, are already defecting to opposition parties, notably the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
While confirming this development on Thursday, Bolaji Abdullahi, interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, said that several CPC loyalists have already joined the coalition.
He said: “Most of the Buhari loyalists are already with us. The majority of them, the entire North, are already with our party. We are very confident. The passing of the former president will only cement that for us because that was his wish when he was alive — that his members should join the coalition.
“As you can see, there is a strong representation of CPC and Buhari loyalists in the senior ranks of the coalition — the likes of Babachir Lawal, Abubakar Malami, Isah Pantami, Emeka Nwajuba, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and the rest of them. Those are Buhari people. And their presence in the leadership of the coalition indicates that that’s where Buhari stood.”
The New Diplomat reports that this development is already crippling the APC in the entire North, swinging Buhari’s 12 5 million votes in the direction of the opposition Coalition.
An insider who spoke with The New Diplomat, said: ” As I speak to you many Cabinet ministers are already with the opposition, they are just buying time till the right time to jump ship Some governors are with the opposition, passing funds through backdoor channels to support the coalition.”
Analysts believe that this unfortunate development could cripple the APC especially in the North where Buhari’s influence remains formidable and more potent even in death.
” The whole of the North is gone, they are with the coalition. I can’t think of any state in the North that hasn’t joined the coalition. Ministers and governors are just pretending at the moment. Look at a state like Kwara, it is gone to ADC. Take Kogi, it’s gone…”
The source added: “Even in the Southwest, it will be a battle ground. Aregbesola has the backing of many key traditional rulers in Yorubaland. Write it down.”
He added: “In the SouthEast, that is the base of Peter Obi, so nobody goes there this time around…”
Recall that CPC, one of the four major blocs that merged to form the APC in 2013, was built on Buhari’s platform of discipline, anti-corruption, and northern populism.
His cult-like following, estimated at over 12 million, particularly in northern states such as Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Yobe, Borno, Kebbi, Nassarawa, Kogi, and Kaduna, have been a cornerstone of the APC’s electoral success.
However, since Tinubu’s emergence in 2023, CPC loyalists have increasingly felt marginalized.
Key figures such as former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal have openly criticized Tinubu’s leadership, with many distancing themselves from the party entirely.
Meanwhile, reacting to the speculations, APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim admitted that Buhari’s passing has created a huge vacuum.
“Yes, the political atmosphere will change for our party. But it is not a vacuum that will deform the party. It is a vacuum that will push the party into sobriety… The party is doing something to reconcile, reassess the situation, and see to it that there is a very good sense of mending,” he added.
