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APC STRUGGLES TO RETAIN BUHARI’S LOYAL SUPPORT BASE AHEAD ofY 2027 ELECTIONS
The death of Muhammadu Buhari, former president, has triggered a scramble among northern politicians to inherit his loyal support base, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) struggling to hold the north together ahead of the 2027 elections.
Buhari died recently, leaving behind a political legacy built on cult followership in the north, particularly in the north-west.
His massive influence, especially among poor northern voters, helped the APC sweep presidential elections in 2015 and 2019.
But in the aftermath of his death, political realignments have begun to take shape — with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Kano governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, seen as the most viable contenders to fill the vacuum.
In the 2023 elections, President Bola Tinubu benefited from Buhari’s passive support, but his grip on the north has remained weak, with many northern APC leaders quietly grumbling over his economic policies and the lopsided security appointments.
Kwankwaso, who has a strong grassroots network in Kano and other parts of the north, is said to be consolidating his base with an eye on 2027.
Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate in 2019 and 2023, has also begun reaching out to former Buhari loyalists who feel alienated by the current APC leadership.
Amid this scramble, the APC has moved to hold consultations with northern stakeholders to prevent defections and strengthen its hold on the region.
However, insiders say the party faces an uphill battle, especially in states like Katsina, Kano, and Zamfara, where Buhari’s presence had been key to maintaining political cohesion.
In the absence of Buhari, analysts say 2027 could witness the most open-ended presidential race since 2007, with no single figure dominating the northern landscape.
“Buhari was not just a vote magnet. He was the unifying symbol of northern political identity. With him gone, the race is wide open,” a political analyst told Punch.
