FORMER ANPP MEMBERS ACCUSE APC OF POLITICAL MARGINALISATION, DEMAND INCLUSION OR THREATEN EXIT

A bloc of politicians from the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), now part of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has accused the party of political marginalisation, threatening to defect if their demands are not met.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the Association of Former ANPP Members, Prof. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, expressed frustration at what he called the “systemic exclusion” of ANPP veterans from appointments and decision-making positions since the party merged into the APC in 2013.
“The ANPP bloc in the APC has been politically suffocated for over a decade. Despite contributing immensely to the merger that ousted the PDP, we have remained sidelined—ironically even under Buhari, who was a two-time ANPP presidential candidate,” Ajumbe said.
He added that under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the marginalisation has worsened, with no notable federal appointments extended to the bloc’s members.
The group issued a list of demands: ministerial appointments, ambassadorial postings, board positions, and the allocation of the Vice Presidential ticket to the ANPP bloc in 2027. They also demanded presidential succession support for an ANPP candidate in 2031.
Notable ANPP-origin leaders cited in the protest include Vice President Kashim Shettima, Borno Governor Babagana Zulum, Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni, and several senators and former governors.
“If our voices continue to be ignored, we may be forced to explore greener political pastures,” Ajumbe warned, adding that zonal and state consultations will begin in the coming weeks to evaluate next steps.
The APC leadership has yet to respond to the demands as of press time.