ANPP Bloc Doesn’t Exist – APC Senate Leader Bashiru Blows Hot

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed threats from members of the now-defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), who are accusing the ruling party of marginalisation and warning they may exit ahead of the 2027 elections.

The ANPP, which merged with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and other groups to form the APC in 2013, has expressed dissatisfaction over its perceived exclusion from key roles in the current administration. Members of the group are demanding the vice-presidential slot for 2027, warning that failure to meet their demand could lead to mass defection.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the National Coordinator of the Association of Former ANPP Members, Prof. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, voiced concerns over what he described as the continued neglect of former ANPP stakeholders in national appointments.

He said, “We believe President Tinubu may not be fully aware of the exclusion of the ANPP bloc in federal appointments, and that’s why we are bringing it to his attention.”

Ajumbe revealed that the group is planning state and zonal meetings to determine its next course of action and urged President Tinubu to include former ANPP members in positions such as board chairs, ambassadors, ministers, and agency heads.

There are also concerns among some members of the Buhari political camp, who feel their contributions to the APC’s electoral victories—especially from the North-West and North-East—have been overlooked since Tinubu took office in 2023. Political observers warn that a wave of defections from this bloc could weaken the APC’s influence in the northern region and alter the political landscape ahead of 2027.

Ajumbe warned that unresolved grievances could prompt a shift in allegiance to opposition leaders like Atiku Abubakar or parties like the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Meanwhile, the APC has rejected allegations of marginalisation. The party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, stated clearly that no such bloc is formally recognised within the party’s framework.

“APC emerged from a merger, and there is no officially acknowledged entity known as the ANPP bloc. We don’t operate based on imagined factions,” Basiru said.