A major northern political support group instrumental in mobilising votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 general elections has officially ended its alliance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The group, Tinubu Vanguard, announced its decision to withdraw support and suspend all activities linked to the party, dealing a potential blow to the APC's northern strategy ahead of the 2027 polls.
Grassroots Mobilisers Feel Sidelined Despite Electoral Role
During a crucial meeting held to assess its relationship with the APC-led federal government, the leadership of Tinubu Vanguard expressed profound frustration. The group's Director General, Honourable Kamilu Abdullahi Abubakar Maiganji, stated that the decision followed months of perceived neglect and a lack of meaningful engagement from the administration. Members felt their significant contributions to the party's electoral success had been ignored.
Maiganji detailed the group's extensive efforts before the 2023 elections, which included sustained radio and television programmes across Kano State and other northern regions. This media outreach, he claimed, was pivotal in shifting public opinion, encouraging voter participation, and bringing previously disengaged citizens into the political process. Remarkably, the group emphasised that it undertook these grassroots mobilisation drives without demanding financial compensation from the party.
"We Dropped the Broom": A Formal Break from the APC
"We did not ask for money. We only requested a venue, security and accommodation for invited guests, but none was provided," Maiganji revealed, highlighting the administration's lack of support. He noted that members had to use personal resources to fund the group's launch in Kano, an event that was reportedly well-received across the region.
Consequently, the group has made a definitive break. "From today, we have dropped the broom," Maiganji declared, symbolically distancing the group from the APC's broom emblem. Tinubu Vanguard, which draws membership from 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, has now formally suspended all political activities connected to the ruling party.
Search for a New Platform Committed to Core Values
In the wake of this split, Tinubu Vanguard clarified that it has not immediately resolved to join another political party. Instead, the group stated it would only align itself with a future platform demonstrably committed to the principles of dignity, accountability, and development. The leadership announced plans for continued internal consultations before taking any further political steps, leaving its future alignment open but conditional.
This development occurs against a backdrop of other challenges for pro-Tinubu structures. It follows a recent report where part of a Tinubu campaign office in Makurdi, Benue state, was demolished by the state's Urban Development Board barely a week after its grand opening, an action that sparked political tension in the North-Central region.
The withdrawal of support from a dedicated northern mobilisation group like Tinubu Vanguard signals growing discontent within some segments of the APC's coalition and poses a strategic concern for the party as the political landscape begins to shift focus towards the 2027 general elections.
