Buhari Allies Unite Against Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election Bid

As Nigeria approaches the critical 2027 general elections, Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027 are rapidly transforming into a formidable political force. Prominent figures once loyal to former President Muhammadu Buhari are aligning with opposition parties in an unprecedented effort to derail President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambitions.

Once united under the All Progressives Congress (APC) banner, many Buhari loyalists are now openly defiant. Key personalities including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, former Ministers Rotimi Amaechi and Abubakar Malami, and even ex-APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun have joined the ranks of the opposition. This realignment highlights deep fractures in the ruling party and reinforces the rise of Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027 as a critical political bloc.

These prominent figures recently threw their weight behind the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which controversially appointed former Senate President David Mark as interim national chairman and ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola as secretary. This coalition is also reportedly receiving tactical support from El-Rufai, who defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after a bitter fallout with Tinubu.

The rift between Tinubu and El-Rufai escalated after El-Rufai was dropped from the ministerial list due to a damaging security report. In May, El-Rufai allegedly told supporters: “Forgive me for bringing this evil Tinubu to power in 2023. It won’t happen again in 2027. The guy is gone.” This statement ignited momentum for Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027, emboldening dissatisfied northern power brokers to coalesce around a shared goal: removing Tinubu.

Although the coalition boasts influential names—Atiku Abubakar, Sule Lamido, Tambuwal, David Mark, Amaechi, Babachir Lawal—the alliance faces skepticism. Dumebi Kachikwu, ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, dismissed it as illegitimate, arguing that the group is working with expired leadership structures. Nevertheless, the emergence of Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027 has unsettled Tinubu’s camp and sparked urgent recalibrations.

A senior Tinubu aide emphasized that the president is “unfazed” and has already started rebuilding alliances with key northern leaders. Tinubu is reportedly considering replacing Vice President Shettima with Rabiu Kwankwaso, a strategic move aimed at consolidating northern votes and neutralizing the influence of Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027.

Despite this growing rebellion, Tinubu retains the support of a faction of Buhari loyalists. Recently, the Forum of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) declared continued allegiance to Tinubu, with figures like Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas, Governor Dikko Radda, Foreign Affairs Minister Maitama Tuggar, and ex-Governor Tanko Al-Makura affirming their commitment. These loyalists rejected attempts to appropriate the CPC’s legacy to bolster Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027.

The anti-Tinubu movement aims to replicate the 2015 coalition that toppled Goodluck Jonathan. But Tinubu, often called Nigeria’s “master strategist,” has survived countless political battles and remains a formidable force.

As 2027 draws closer, the contest between Buhari allies against Tinubu 2027 and Tinubu’s loyalists promises to redefine Nigeria’s political landscape. For now, both camps are laying the groundwork for a fierce showdown that could change the course of the nation’s democracy.

List of Buhari Loyalists Supporting the ADC Coalition:

• Rotimi Amaechi
• Abubakar Malami
• Hadi Sirika
• Rauf Aregbesola
• Kashim Imam
• Chief John Odigie Oyegun