Ex-CPC Chairmen Back Atiku, Joins ADC Coalition Ahead Of 2027

Former state chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have pledged their support for Atiku Abubakar and his coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signaling a political realignment ahead of the 2027 general election.

The meeting took place on Wednesday at Atiku’s Abuja residence. The CPC, founded by the late President Muhammadu Buhari, had merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2013 to form the All Progressives Congress (APC). Since Buhari’s passing in July, speculation has grown over the loyalty of former CPC members within the ruling party.

Earlier the same day, another CPC bloc led by Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and former Nasarawa governor Tanko Almakura met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, promising to back his 2027 re-election bid.

But in contrast, the ex-CPC state chairmen who met Atiku described themselves as loyalists of Buhari’s legacy, vowing to work with him under the ADC coalition. They argued that the Tinubu-led APC had drifted away from the principles that once defined the party.

Atiku, while receiving them, assured that the coalition is designed to restore hope and rebuild trust in governance. He told the visiting politicians that with their backing, the ADC could secure victory in 2027 and form a government that would reflect the ideals Buhari once represented.

He also urged them to mobilize their supporters for the ongoing voter registration, stressing that grassroots participation would determine the strength of the coalition.

The engagement underscores the growing contest over Buhari’s political base within the former CPC fold, as rival camps align either with Tinubu’s APC or with Atiku’s emerging coalition. With 2027 approaching, the struggle for these loyalties is expected to shape the tone of Nigeria’s next electoral battle.