Senator Ali Ndume has cautioned President Bola Tinubu to take seriously the political weight of former President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
Appearing on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday, Ndume emphasized that although Buhari no longer holds office, he retains significant influence among Northern voters.
“Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because it is different when you are not in power and after spending like eight years in power. Of course his popularity, everything has diminished, it is natural, but you can’t write him off especially with the Northern masses. The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it,” Ndume said.
His comments came shortly after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar visited Buhari in Kaduna, accompanied by other major opposition figures—a move that has drawn attention within political circles.
Ndume revealed that he, too, intends to visit the former president soon.
“If Buhari is coming here now, you will see people rushing to see. Everybody including those in the vegetable market will rush here. Buhari is still with the Talakawas,” he said.
He added a pointed remark directed at the current president: “Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts and Buhari has one vote. Tinubu should also be worried about my position. Because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.”
The senator’s remarks reflect the growing tension within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), especially with fears that the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) faction—a founding bloc of the APC—may be on the verge of breaking away.
The anxiety follows a private meeting earlier this week between Buhari and some APC governors in Kaduna. While initially downplayed as a mere courtesy call, sources indicate the visit was aimed at persuading Buhari to help prevent high-profile defections from the CPC bloc.
Concerns have intensified in recent weeks amid a wave of political exits. Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai confirmed his departure from the APC, noting that he informed Buhari beforehand. Other former cabinet members from the Buhari administration are also reportedly in talks to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In Buhari’s home state of Katsina, the exodus from APC to SDP has already begun