Senator Ali Ndume has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be concerned if former President Muhammadu Buhari is not aligned with him politically, stressing the enduring influence of the ex-leader in Northern Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ndume emphasized Buhari’s continued popularity despite being out of office, calling his followership in the North “occultic” and deeply rooted among the masses.
“Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because he is no longer in power, but you can’t write him off, especially with the Northern masses. The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it,” Ndume stated. “Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts, and Buhari has one vote. Tinubu should also be worried about my position because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.”
Ndume’s comments come amid rising political tensions in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following a high-profile visit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders to Buhari’s residence in Kaduna. The move has sparked speculation about Buhari’s current political alignment and the growing unrest within the APC.
Sources suggest that the visit, along with a separate meeting between Buhari and APC governors, was aimed at curbing a wave of defections by members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc—a powerful faction within the APC co-founded by Buhari.
The CPC bloc, which merged with other parties in 2013 to form the APC, remains highly influential in Northern Nigeria. The recent defection of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), allegedly with Buhari’s blessing, has further fueled speculation about a possible mass exit of CPC loyalists.
Several former ministers from Buhari’s administration are also reportedly preparing to join the SDP, while many APC members in Buhari’s home state of Katsina have already defected.
In response to growing fears about a political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, APC governors met with Buhari earlier in the week, urging him to persuade his CPC allies to remain in the party. However, Buhari reportedly declined to intervene, reiterating his stance that individuals must be free to make their own political choices.
“I remain a loyal member of the APC,” Buhari is reported to have said, while refusing to commit to influencing others’ decisions.
The potential exit of the CPC bloc is viewed as a significant threat to the APC’s chances in 2027, particularly in the North, where Buhari’s support remains formidable. Political analysts warn that a divided APC could face an uphill battle in maintaining its dominance if CPC loyalists back a rival party.
Nigeria and Nigerians cannot tolerate six years of Tinubu’s blunders especially with the arrogance that they are committed. If Nigerians can endure the pains for two remaining years of his current term, no sane person will vote for another four years of misery, nepotism and unbridled corruption. If he likes, let him appoint his helicopter flying son as Chairman of INEC and then populate the commission with only Yorubas. When the chips are down, he will come to full realization that Nigerians are not gullible. If a very humble, humane, compassionate and listening leader like Goodluck Jonathan could not win second term, let’s wait and see how Tinubu, a personification of pain can be rewarded with another four years of misrule. Perhaps Rivers State will reward him for the great injustice he has done to the people of the oil rich state. He will be crying for the moon if looks for another term.
Unfortunately for Atiku and his co-travellers buhari’s popularity has completely,so let them continue deceiving themselves, including Ali Ndume