…Govs, NWC, Rally in Abuja as ADC, Atiku Plot Tinubu’s Ouster
By Jeremy Fregene
The All Progressives Congress (APC), now firmly in control of no fewer than 29 states, has begun a decisive internal consolidation drive aimed at converting its unprecedented defection windfall into enduring political dominance, even as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensify moves to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
In Abuja on Wednesday, the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) and governors elected on the party’s platform held a closed-door, emergency-style strategy session, underscoring the ruling party’s determination to manage its expanding empire while neutralising internal fault lines that could threaten its hold on power.
The meeting, held at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, brought together APC governors led by their forum chairman, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, alongside NWC members led by the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda. Among those in attendance were governors from Plateau, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Kogi, Benue, Taraba, Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Lagos states, reflecting the breadth of APC’s current reach.
Party sources said the consultation was squarely focused on the road to 2027, with particular attention on how to absorb and stabilise the influx of opposition governors and their vast political structures, ahead of the APC’s national convention slated for March.
In the last two years, the ruling party has recorded its most significant wave of defections since coming to power in 2015, with eight sitting governors elected on opposition platforms crossing over to the APC. The defectors include governors from Rivers, Enugu, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Kano and Plateau states, most of them formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with one from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The shift has dramatically altered Nigeria’s political map, strengthening the APC’s capacity to coordinate power from the centre to the states, an advantage regarded as critical in a system where governors wield enormous influence over grassroots mobilisation, party machinery and electoral outcomes.
However, party insiders admit that the rapid expansion comes with risks. With defecting governors arriving with “thousands and millions” of supporters and entrenched interests, the APC leadership is wary of internal implosion if competing power blocs are not carefully managed.
Beyond managing defections, the APC leadership is also grappling with unresolved crises in some state chapters, including Rivers State, where parallel structures and leadership disputes persist. These challenges are further complicated by the party’s ongoing electronic registration and revalidation exercise, which will determine delegate strength ahead of ward, local government, state and zonal congresses…processes that will ultimately shape the composition of the party’s leadership at the national convention.
Against this backdrop of consolidation by the ruling party, opposition forces are simultaneously exploring counter-strategies.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also on Wednesday hosted a delegation of ADC stakeholders from Kebbi State, signalling growing engagement between the 2023 PDP presidential candidate and the increasingly vocal opposition platform.
In a statement after the meeting, Atiku said discussions centred on strengthening the ADC and positioning it to defeat the APC in the next general election.
“We focused on further strengthening the ADC, and positioning it not only to defeat the APC in the next election but also to deliver guaranteed good governance to our people,” Atiku said, describing the talks as encouraging.
The ADC, which has been gaining traction in pockets of the country, has been projecting itself as a rallying point for Nigerians dissatisfied with both the ruling APC and the crisis-ridden traditional opposition parties. In Ondo State, party leaders openly declared the ADC as a viable alternative capable of rescuing Nigeria from its current challenges.
At the inauguration of ADC ward executives in Akure South Local Government Area, party chieftains spoke of grassroots momentum, promising to mobilise for victory in 2027. Party officials pointed to attendance at ward-level events as evidence of growing public interest, while aspirants openly declared intentions to contest legislative seats.
Political analysts note that the contrast between both camps remains pronounced, with the APC currently focused on internal consolidation and power management, while the ADC and its allies are still building structures and testing alliances ahead of 2027.
Observers say the ruling party’s control of a majority of states gives it a significant organisational advantage, particularly in terms of grassroots reach, resource mobilisation and coordination across federal and sub-national levels, even as internal disputes pose potential risks if left unresolved.
Watchers of the political space add that, with less than two years to the general election, the unfolding contest is increasingly defined by structure, alignment and the capacity of parties to manage internal cohesion.