APC Chieftain Warns Tinubu About Sycophants, Questions Norths Loyalty

Adamu Garba, a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has raised concerns over the growing gap between Nigeria’s reality and what President Bola Tinubu is being told by those close to him.

Garba spoke during an interview on Channels TV, where he warned that many of Tinubu’s aides may be giving him a distorted view of the country’s situation. He believes these voices are telling the president what he wants to hear instead of presenting the truth. Garba urged the APC leadership to stop ignoring honest criticism, adding that misleading the president could have serious consequences.

He expressed worry that the party is losing touch with the people, particularly at a time when the opposition, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is working hard to take power in 2027. According to Garba, the ruling party must urgently reflect, tell itself the truth, and stop depending on flattery and false comfort.

Garba also discussed the political shift in Northern Nigeria following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in early July 2025. He said Buhari’s departure from office in 2023, and his eventual passing, has weakened the northern bloc vote that once served as a solid pillar for the APC during past elections.

He recalled that Buhari consistently delivered about 12 million votes from the North, a figure that greatly helped secure his victories. But in the 2023 election, Garba noted, the APC only got around 5.5 million votes from the region, even while Buhari was still alive. That, he said, was a clear signal that the once-dependable northern support had already started to fade.

Despite the drop, the APC still won the 2023 elections. Garba credited this to strong party structure and planning. However, he warned that the same strategies may not work in 2027 without fresh thinking and adjustments.

He stressed that the absence of Buhari will change the party’s dynamics and urged the leadership to rethink its approach if it hopes to retain power. Garba also cautioned against ignoring the growing strength of opposition groups, who are now working to attract former APC supporters.

Garba, a former presidential aspirant himself, made these remarks amid rising tensions over who could lead the country next. The late Buhari’s popularity in the North played a big role in past APC wins, but with him gone, the party now faces uncertainty over whether it can still count on that same base.

As 2027 approaches, the APC will have to rebuild trust and reconnect with ordinary Nigerians. Garba believes this will only happen if the president begins to hear the truth — not just from loyalists, but from citizens who are living through the country’s struggles.