Buhari Declines to Intervene as CPC Bloc Considers Exit from APC

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly declined to prevent members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc from leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC), sparking concern among party leaders about the future of the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to Daily Trust, the issue came to light after a recent meeting between Buhari and APC governors in Kaduna. While the gathering was initially perceived as a routine courtesy visit, it later emerged that the governors were seeking Buhari’s intervention to halt the exodus of CPC-aligned politicians.

The CPC bloc, though no longer an independent party since its merger into the APC in 2013, remains a powerful faction within the party. Buhari, having founded the CPC in 2009, is widely seen as the bloc’s moral leader and unifying figure. With growing defections, especially to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), APC leaders are concerned about the potential political fallout.

One of the most prominent departures so far has been that of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who recently joined the SDP. El-Rufai revealed that he informed Buhari of his decision before making the switch. Reports suggest that other former ministers and close allies of Buhari may also be planning similar moves. In Buhari’s home state of Katsina, several APC members have already crossed over to the SDP.

During the Kaduna meeting, the governors reportedly pleaded with Buhari to use his influence to persuade his loyalists to remain within the APC. However, Buhari declined to interfere. While affirming his personal commitment to the APC, he maintained that others had the right to make their own political choices.

A source familiar with the meeting said the governors were particularly concerned about Buhari’s enduring popularity in the North, fearing that his quiet endorsement of defectors could deal a significant blow to the party’s 2027 electoral prospects.

Buhari’s stance reflects what El-Rufai also noted after his defection — that Buhari was informed but chose not to intervene. The former president’s consistent position has been to allow individuals the freedom to pursue their political paths, a principle he has followed throughout his career.