The former All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) faction within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a warning to President Bola Tinubu, stating that he must meet specific conditions or face leaving the party. They have accused the CPC faction and the APC faction of sidelining them in the coalition agreement that established the national government in 2015. The ANPP faction emphasized that the CPC has held power in Nigeria for eight years while the APC is currently in control. They cautioned Tinubu against making any changes to the vice presidential position, asserting that it is essential for the ANPP faction as it is the second-largest contributor to the formation of the APC. During a press conference in Abuja on Monday, members of the Association of Former ANPP Members expressed their desire for greater inclusion in the APC government. The National Coordinator, Prof Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, presented remarks on behalf of a dissatisfied ANPP member, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reserve the Vice Presidential position for the ANPP faction in the upcoming 2027 election. He emphasized that many former ANPP supporters who had backed the current administration would be let down if a candidate outside their group is chosen for the role. Ajumbe explained that their statement was based on conclusions drawn from a meeting held just prior to the press event, where they assessed their status within the APC and reflected on the advantages gained since merging with the ACN and CPC to establish the APC. When our former national chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, launched the initiative to unite ACN, CPC, and ANPP into a large political party, our goal was to create a formidable party capable of not just defeating the PDP, but also providing excellent governance for Nigerians. When the APC was finally established, the interim leadership roles were fairly distributed among the original parties, including the ACN, ANPP, and CPC, as well as some factions of the PDP, APGA, and DPP that participated in the merger. According to the shared formula that was agreed upon, the ACN received the role of interim National Chairman due to its six governors across six states, while the ANPP, which had three governors in three states, was designated the interim National Secretary position. The CPC, having one governor, was assigned the role of National Treasurer. A segment of the APGA that joined at that time received the role of interim National Organizing Secretary, while the group from the DPP, which did not have a state, secured the position of National Auditor. The remaining offices were fairly distributed among the Parties that united to create the APC. “We were optimistic about a brighter future in APC, but unfortunately, the situation is quite the opposite now,” he expressed sadly.
