Former members of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), one of the major political blocs that merged to form the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have announced plans to stage a mega march in Abuja in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
In a communiqué signed by its national Co-ordinator and Secretary, Prof Vitalis Ajumbe and Alhaji Abubakar Abdullah issued after their leadership meeting on Monday at Agura Hotel, Abuja, the group said the rally would serve as an expression of solidarity for the president’s administration and his ongoing reforms. “We have resolved to galvanize our structures and members across the 774 local government areas to ensure regular meetings and mobilization for the re-election of our President,” the statement read.
However, the association expressed dissatisfaction over what it described as the “continued exclusion” of former ANPP members from major appointments in the Tinubu administration. It noted that despite the ANPP’s significant role in the formation and funding of the APC, its members have not been fairly represented in key government positions.
“The ANPP bloc, being the second largest contributor to the formation of APC, deserves recognition and inclusion in the governance structure of this country,” said Prof. Ajumbe.
“We are calling on President Tinubu to consider appointing our members as board chairmen, ambassadors, ministers, and heads of government agencies.” he added.
Ajumbe urged the president to respect existing power-sharing understandings among the APC blocs. They argued that while the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc had produced a president in Muhammadu Buhari for eight years, and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) bloc currently holds the presidency, fairness demands that power should shift to the ANPP bloc after 2031.
“Equity and justice demand that when President Tinubu completes his tenure, the leadership of our great party should support a presidential candidate from the ANPP family,” the group stated. “That is the only way to maintain balance and unity within the APC.”
The former ANPP members also formally endorsed President Tinubu and pledged their loyalty to his administration’s programmes and policies. “We hereby endorse His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and his policies for a better Nigeria,” the communiqué added. “We believe in his capacity to deliver lasting prosperity and stability.”
The association congratulated the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawa Goshwe Yilwatda, on his appointment and expressed willingness to collaborate with him to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 polls. It also directed its leaders across the country to begin holding regular meetings to consolidate grassroots support.
“Today, we have made a clear statement that the ANPP family remains a formidable force within the APC,” said Ajumbe. “We will continue to work for the success of our president, our party, and our great nation.”
He reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ideals of fairness, unity, and democratic governance, urging the Tinubu administration to reward loyalty and contribution across all founding blocs of the APC.
