By Engr. P.U Ekezie
In politics, timing is everything. And when desperation meets denial, political actors scramble for old loyalties they once scorned. That is exactly what we witnessed when 21 APC governors rushed to Kaduna some days ago to plead with former President Muhammadu Buhari not to abandon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC in the run-up to the 2027 elections.
Let us call it what it is: a late-night knock on a door they once slammed shut.
Since the 2023 elections, the APC-led Federal Government under President Tinubu and many APC state governors have governed with arrogance and exclusion — dismissing those who built the Party, mocking their political relevance, and downplaying their electoral value.
It even became fashionable in some quarters to sneer, “Where are Buhari’s 12 million votes?” — as though the North and the CPC bloc had suddenly become disposable. Yet, it is an unalterable fact that the North gave Tinubu more votes than any other region — including the South-West. That should have commanded respect, not ridicule.
So Why Ask For CPC Support Now?
The same CPC bloc that has been insulted, ignored, and sidelined is suddenly being courted for 2027. *Why now — after nearly two years of scorning its leaders and rewriting the contributions of former APC stakeholders?
The answer is clear: 2027 is no longer a guaranteed victory lap. And the Tinubu camp is now scrambling to rebuild bridges they burned without apology.
But let it be said clearly: *loyalty cannot be commanded; it must be earned.
Let us take a deeper look at why a good segment of the CPC bloc, and indeed many Nigerians, feel betrayed:
1. Federal Interference in Traditional Institutions
The CPC bloc — with strong roots in Northern values — is alarmed by Federal interference in the Kano Emirate saga, which is widely seen as politically motivated and disrespectful of cultural heritage and state autonomy. It is a red line — and it has been crossed.
2. Abuse of Democracy at the State Level
The recent Rivers State political coup against duly elected officials, allegedly supported by the Federal Government, signals a dangerous disregard for democratic norms. Similarly, the unjust suspension of Senators Abdul Ningi, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and Ali Ndume from the National Assembly reflects an increasingly authoritarian posture.
3. Insults in Place of Engagement
Instead of addressing the concerns of elder statesmen and national stakeholders, the Presidency’s public affairs team has resorted to insults and abuses. They have targeted former President Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed, and others — forgetting that leadership requires restraint, not hostility.
4. Abandonment of Key Infrastructure
How can a government that has abandoned the Abuja–Kano Federal Highway for over two years now ask for support from the same people it has neglected? The entire Northeastern region has no federal expressway, and no single major federal project is ongoing in that axis. Meanwhile, a controversial Lagos–Calabar Superhighway was launched without due process or an Environmental Impact Assessment — a clear breach of legal and ecological protocols.
5. Unconstitutional Conduct in the National Assembly
Disturbing signs are emerging from the legislature, where bills are being rushed through without debate or transparency. Nigerians are being governed without their consent — and this lack of openness is further eroding trust in the system.
6. Crack in the Northern Support Base
No less a figure than Barrister Solomon Dalung has revealed that the First Lady is now moving around Northern minority communities, seeking support because the CPC bloc appears to have resolved not to vote APC again. That alone speaks volumes. Why reach out to the margins after abandoning the center?
7. Civil Servants and Pensioners Are Suffering
Federal and state workers continue to suffer from poor remuneration, while many state governments have refused to implement the new minimum wage with the full consequential adjustments. Retirees are languishing without gratuities or death benefits. Meanwhile, some absentee governors are obsessed with 2027 power games and have abandoned governance altogether.
So again we ask: how do these governors and their head boy, the President, now come begging for support?
Support cannot be donated like a bag of palliative rice. It must be earned — and those begging for it know exactly how it was earned the first time.
If the Tinubu-led government is sincere about regaining the trust of the CPC bloc, the North, and Nigerians at large, it must:
1. Correct the ethnic and regional imbalance in appointments
2. Rebuild democratic institutions and respect political opposition.*
3. Stop meddling in traditional and state matters
4. Finish abandoned infrastructure in Northern Nigeria
5. Respect civil discourse and stop attacking national leaders
6. Address civil servants' welfare and honor the rights of pensioners
Conclusion:
2027 should not be reduced to a power tussle. It must be about the future of Nigeria — a nation that deserves competent, inclusive, and just leadership. If the APC governors and the Tinubu Presidency want another term, they must earn it, not beg for it in backroom meetings and photo-ops.
History is watching and most importantly, Nigerians are watching.
Chief Engr. P.U Ekezie
April 9, 2025