…as Atiku’s Northern Bloc Defects
By Patrick Idowu
In a dramatic political twist, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has scored a major victory ahead of the 2027 general elections, luring key supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
At an event in Abuja on Friday, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau welcomed defectors from Atiku’s 2023 campaign machinery across the 19 northern states.
Under the Coalition of Atiku Support Groups, the members pledged allegiance to President Bola Tinubu, declaring their full support for his re-election bid.
Explaining their defection, the coalition’s coordinator, Abubakar Malami, cited improved security and economic conditions under Tinubu’s administration.
“For years, terrorism and banditry crippled our region. Today, peace is returning, and food prices are stabilizing,” he said, hailing Tinubu’s policies as a “game changer.”
Barau described the defection as a “big catch,” emphasizing that President Tinubu is “repositioning Nigeria for prosperity.”
Ganduje went further, declaring the PDP’s impending collapse, saying, “This marks the death of PDP in Nigeria, not just in the North.”
With the 2027 elections fast approaching, this high-profile defection signals a shifting political landscape—one that could alter Atiku’s chances of another presidential bid.
