The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State on Saturday received thousands of new members from various political parties, but the absence of several prominent stakeholders at the event raised questions about the party’s internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The reception, held at the Azare Township Stadium, was organised to formally welcome the new entrants into the APC, with the state leadership putting the number of fresh members at about 11,000.
The APC State Chairman, Alhaji Hassan Mohammed Tilde, said the latest entrants were in addition to more than 150,000 people who had previously defected to the party across the state.
He described the development as evidence of the growing popularity of the APC in Bauchi State and expressed confidence that the party would emerge victorious in the 2027 elections.
“Without any doubt, the APC is the party to reckon with ahead of the 2027 general elections,” Tilde said.
Among those formally accepted into the party were Yusuf Mohammed Bako, formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), as well as Hassana Arkila, who defected from the APM.
Also received was Hajiya Zainab Baban Takko, a former member of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), alongside other political actors from different parties.
Earlier, the APC governorship running mate, Dr. Farouk Mustapha, formally presented a compiled list of the defectors to the party’s state leader and Minister of Health, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, for onward transmission to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.
Speaking on his return to the APC, Mustapha described it as a return to familiar political ground, saying his engagements with other political parties were temporary.
He expressed optimism that the APC would win the governorship, National Assembly and other elective positions in Bauchi State in 2027.
However, the event was also marked by the absence of several prominent APC stakeholders, including former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; governorship aspirants Alhaji Nura Manu Soro and Bala Maijama’a Wunti; former Bauchi State Governor and Renewed Hope Ambassador and Coordinator for the North-East, Mallam Isa Yuguda; and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara among others prominent party’s stakeholders.
The absence of the high-profile figures was not officially explained at the event, prompting discussions among party members and political observers.
Some APC members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, linked the development to alleged unresolved disagreements within the party, particularly over internal processes and the emergence of candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
One of the members alleged that the process that produced the party’s candidate was not conducted in accordance with established party procedures.
“We are in Bauchi, and there was no election that took place across all the polling units. Election materials were not brought to any of the polling units throughout the day of the election,” the source alleged.
Another aggrieved member claimed that some supporters waited at polling units without seeing election officials or receiving clear information about the process.
The members called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda and other party leaders to intervene and create a platform for dialogue with dissatisfied aspirants and stakeholders.
They warned that unresolved grievances could undermine the party’s recent gains and affect its ability to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 elections.
Political observers, however, noted that the large turnout and reported defections represented a significant boost for the APC, even as the absence of some influential figures and complaints from aggrieved members highlighted the need for greater reconciliation within the party.
They said the ability of the APC leadership to address the grievances and bring its major stakeholders together could prove crucial to the party’s electoral prospects in Bauchi State ahead of 2027.
