A fresh political storm is brewing within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as former members of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) have issued a fiery ultimatum to the party leadership—give us the 2027 presidential or vice-presidential ticket, or we walk out!
Operating under the banner of the Association of Former ANPP Members, the group has accused the APC of serial betrayal, alleging that they have been consistently sidelined and politically strangled since the 2013 merger that birthed the ruling party.
In a statement delivered to journalists in Abuja and signed by its National Chairman, Chief Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, the bloc warned that continued marginalisation will force them to reconsider their loyalty to the APC. The former ANPP loyalists, who claim to have played a pivotal role in delivering victory for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019, say they are tired of being used and dumped.
“We have remained silent for too long while others eat from the table we helped set. In 2015 and 2019, we were loyal to President Buhari. In 2023, we delivered for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. What do we have to show for it? Nothing but insults and exclusion,” the group lamented.
They have now issued a bold demand: that the 2027 vice-presidential slot be reserved for a core ANPP member, or they would consider aligning with other political forces—hinting at a potential defection that could fracture the APC's northern stronghold.
“The only honourable path forward is for APC to reward loyalty with inclusion. Give us the vice-presidential ticket in 2027 or we exit the party!” Ajumbe thundered.
However, the APC swiftly moved to extinguish the fire with a stern rebuttal. Senator Ajibola Basiru, the party's National Secretary, dismissed the claims as fictional tantrums from a non-existent bloc.
“There is no such thing as an ANPP bloc in the APC. The party has no recognised factions or legacy groupings. We are one united family,” Basiru stated.
He further described the threats as “desperate blackmail by attention-seeking individuals who refuse to evolve with the party’s structure.”
Analysts warn that this explosive development could further widen cracks within the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections. With party factions already jostling for influence and positioning, the defection of former ANPP loyalists—if it materializes—could cost the APC vital votes in key northern states where the ANPP once held sway.
This is not the first time internal tensions have rocked the APC. However, the specificity and tone of this threat—combined with the group’s insistence that they will no longer be political spectators—has jolted the party’s hierarchy.
As the countdown to 2027 intensifies, the APC may now be forced to make hard choices—either appease the old guard or risk watching its coalition unravel from within.
Background: The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) was one of the key parties that merged in 2013 to form the APC, alongside the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and others. While many former ACN and CPC members have since been absorbed into leadership positions, ex-ANPP members say they have been completely sidelined.
Their demand for the 2027 vice-presidential ticket comes amid broader agitations within the party, with various blocs quietly lobbying for power realignments in the post-Tinubu era.
Stay tuned. 2027 politics has just begun—and the stakes are already sky-high.