Inside the Political Calculus: Tinubu Moves to Neutralize Atiku-Buhari Coalition Rumors Amid 2027 Realignments
By HeadlineNews.News Special Investigative Team.
April 23, 2025
Abuja, Nigeria – The political temperature in Nigeria has surged significantly following the surprise visit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to former President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday. The two men, often seen on opposing ideological ends, were spotted sharing the same vehicle en route to Juma’at prayers in Daura, triggering widespread speculation about a possible Atiku-Buhari-led coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
While former President Buhari has not publicly endorsed any 2027 presidential hopeful, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s camp has reportedly begun recalibrating its political strategy to counter potential threats from an alliance between Atiku Abubakar, aggrieved CPC elements, and other disenchanted northern political blocs.
“Buhari remains a statesman and guardian of APC’s legacy,” a senior northern APC stalwart told HeadlineNews.News. “It is Atiku that is desperately exploiting optics and elite nostalgia to repackage his 2023 defeat as a rebirth.”
1. Cabinet Reshuffle Imminent: Loyalty Meets Electability
Sources within the APC reveal that a cabinet shakeup is imminent, with President Tinubu set to replace several ministers and MDA CEOs. This move is aimed at injecting electorally valuable figures into government—those who can mobilize votes and reconnect the party to its grassroots in key battleground states.
The reshuffle is also seen as a containment strategy to prevent further CPC defections to Atiku’s orbit, with many aggrieved Buhari-era loyalists expressing discontent with the current party leadership and appointments.
2. Ganduje to Exit? Al-Makura Tipped to Lead APC
As murmurs grow louder about discontent within the legacy CPC bloc, former Nasarawa Governor Senator Tanko Al-Makura, the only CPC governor before the 2013 APC merger, is reportedly being considered to replace Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as APC National Chairman.
This move would both pacify loyalists of Buhari and serve to consolidate the northern political machinery under Tinubu’s umbrella. Al-Makura is seen as a bridge between Tinubu and Buhari loyalists, capable of diffusing defection threats and keeping the party intact ahead of 2027.
3. Ambassadorial and Ministerial Appointments Under Review
The president is also revisiting the yet-to-be-announced ambassadorial list, with a renewed focus on rewarding loyalty and electoral strength. There are strong indications that some nominees will now be reassigned as ministers or heads of key MDAs to bolster Tinubu’s political ground game, particularly in the North.
4. The Kwankwaso Gambit: Breaking the NNPP Barrier
In a high-stakes political maneuver, Tinubu is courting Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate. According to insiders, Tinubu has authorized overtures to bring Kwankwaso into the APC, with promises of ministerial nominations, MDA appointments, and possibly even a vice-presidential ticket deal.
Should this deal materialize, it would represent a masterstroke in Kano politics—the most populous voting bloc in Nigeria—and could effectively neutralize Atiku’s northern dominance.
5. Kano Emirship Peace Deal: HRH Sanusi May Return
As part of the broader political negotiation in the North, reports indicate that the Federal Government is mediating a truce in the Kano Emirate crisis. HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II is likely to be reinstated, while HRH Aminu Ado Bayero may be offered a diplomatic posting to the Middle East as part of a dignified exit strategy.
Such a move could restore confidence among reformist and intellectual northern elites—many of whom remain sympathetic to Sanusi’s economic and institutional ideals.
6. Military Elders’ Nocturnal Meeting Fuels Rumors
Unconfirmed reports suggest that retired military generals—including Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Theophilus Danjuma, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Aliyu Gusau—met in Abuja on April 12 to strategize over 2027. Though the agenda remains unclear, political watchers view the meeting as a signal of elite discontent with Tinubu’s economic reforms.
Atiku’s camp, said to be present, is rumored to be lobbying for elder statesmen endorsement to create a “national unity” front against the incumbent. However, analysts warn that such coalitions often lack coherence, and past experiments at forced alliances have collapsed under ideological contradictions.
7. Buhari Departs for UK Amid Political Noise
In the wake of rising speculation, former President Muhammadu Buhari has left the country for the United Kingdom on what his media aides described as “private engagements.” Observers suggest his departure is both strategic and symbolic—designed to deflect political heat and reiterate his non-involvement in partisan scheming.
“Atiku is clinging to Buhari’s image to sanitize his ambitions, but Buhari has always distanced himself from opportunists,” said Dr. Aminu Garba, political analyst at the Arewa Policy Forum.
Conclusion: Atiku’s Coalition or Desperation?
While Atiku Abubakar’s visit to Buhari may appear to signal momentum, insiders view it more as a desperate attempt to revive his fading national appeal. Buhari, a statesman revered in the North, may have prayed with Atiku—but there’s no evidence of political endorsement.
President Tinubu’s administration, albeit under criticism for tough reforms, is showing strategic depth and political dexterity in response. By realigning internal alliances, reinvigorating his cabinet, and reaching across political divides, Tinubu is setting the stage not just for survival—but for dominance in 2027.
“Let Atiku visit mosques and marabouts. Tinubu is rebuilding Nigeria’s political center from Abuja, not from nostalgia,” quipped a senior APC lawmaker.
Headlinenews.news Special Investigative team & The National Patriots.
“Tinubu Counters Atiku’s Coalition Play with Strategic Political Reset” -Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser MFR.
“After the Mosque Moment: Tinubu Moves to Disarm Atiku-Buhari Coalition Threat” – UK Member of Parliament.
“Inside Tinubu’s Response to Atiku’s 2027 Gambit: Reshuffles, Realignments, and a Renewed APC” – APC Leader.
“From Prayer to Power Play: Atiku’s Visit Sparks High-Level Moves in Aso Rock” – Elder Statesman.
“Game On: Tinubu Strategizes Against Atiku’s Growing 2027 Alliance”. – Dr. G. A. Fraser. MFR
“Between Legacy and Loyalty: Tinubu Repositions APC Amid Atiku’s Shadow Moves” – Distinguished Senator.
“Coalition or Illusion? Atiku’s Desperate Moves Meet Tinubu’s Calculated Response” – State Governor.
“Buhari in the Middle: Tinubu’s Silent Battle for Northern Loyalty” – Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim.
“Atiku Courts Power, Tinubu Consolidates It: The 2027 Chessboard Begins to Shift” – Dr. Amiida, The National Patriots.
“The Daura Encounter Fallout: Why Tinubu’s Cabinet and Coalition May Soon Change” – Prof Mohammed Adamu.
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