APC faces fresh defection threat in Niger as ex-aide seeks Tinubu’s intervention

By Musa Baba Adamu with agency report

Fresh concerns have emerged over the internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, with a former aide to ex-Governor Abubakar Sani Bello warning that the party risks losing key members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Alhaji Ibrahim Idris urged President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, to urgently intervene, alleging that unresolved internal disputes could trigger a mass defection of influential stakeholders.
According to Idris, the crisis has reached a critical stage and could significantly weaken the APC’s electoral prospects in Niger State if left unchecked.
“As it stands today, if the President and the National Chairman fail to intervene swiftly, I doubt if there will be anything substantial left of the APC in Niger State after 2027,” he said.
He accused a small group within the party of pursuing personal interests at the expense of party unity, warning that the APC was gradually losing the cohesion built over the years.
The warning comes amid reports that former commissioners, ex-political appointees, serving lawmakers and grassroots leaders are considering leaving the ruling party over alleged marginalization and dissatisfaction with its internal affairs.
Sources familiar with the development said consultations among aggrieved stakeholders had intensified, with many exploring alternative political platforms ahead of the next general elections.
The reported coalition is said to include former commissioners under Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, former appointees of ex-Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, members of the Niger State House of Assembly and party leaders across the state’s 25 local government areas.
One member of the group, who spoke anonymously, claimed the coalition would announce its next political move after the release of the APC’s official list of candidates, insisting the initiative was aimed at challenging what he described as the concentration of political power in the hands of a few individuals.
Another source, a former chairman of Lapai Local Government Area, also alleged that many stakeholders had concluded plans to quit the APC and warned that unresolved grievances could lead to anti-party activities during the 2027 elections.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Niger State APC leadership were unsuccessful, as party officials did not respond to calls and text messages before the report was filed.