Looming Political Realignment: Why Governors from the South South, South East, and Kano May Soon Join APC
By Dr. Sagir S. Buhari, FCIA
Nigeria’s political landscape is gradually shifting toward what may become the most significant realignment since the return to democracy in 1999. From every indication, the political tide is moving in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Governors from the South South, South East, and even the North West particularly Kano State are increasingly finding themselves without viable alternatives but to align with the ruling party. This unfolding scenario is not accidental; it is the outcome of a deliberate and far-sighted political strategy rooted in inclusion, stability, and national consolidation.
Since assuming office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated an acute understanding of Nigeria’s political psychology. He recognizes that sustainable governance cannot thrive in a polarized federation. His response has been a subtle yet effective campaign of political harmonization reaching across party, regional, and ethnic lines to bring all zones under a shared national vision.
His strategy rests on three major pillars:
1. Economic Inclusion
The administration’s ongoing infrastructure projects: roads, bridges, ports, railways, and energy facilities cut across all regions, particularly targeting historically neglected areas in the South East and South South. By ensuring equitable distribution of development, President Tinubu is changing old narratives and creating a sense of belonging among regions that once felt marginalized.
2. Political Co-option
Tinubu is employing pragmatic politics offering collaboration, recognition, and federal opportunities to governors and leaders from opposition parties. In Nigeria’s patronage driven political environment, few governors can afford to remain detached from the center of power without risking stagnation in development and political isolation.
3. Institutional Consolidation
Beyond immediate political gains, Tinubu is solidifying the APC’s presence at all levels state assemblies, local councils, and federal structures thereby creating a formidable machinery that ensures both political stability and long-term electoral advantage.
The South South and South East Calculus
The South South and South East regions have historically served as strongholds for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, internal disunity within the PDP, combined with the Labour Party’s short-lived 2023 surge, has created a political vacuum in both zones.
Governors in these regions now face two political realities:
1. Their states cannot afford to remain disconnected from the federal center if they are to deliver tangible development to their citizens.
2. The APC, under Tinubu’s leadership, is no longer seen as a sectional or exclusionary platform.
Recent federal appointments, infrastructure projects, and high-level consultations with stakeholders from both zones demonstrate Tinubu’s deliberate effort to build trust. The political logic is simple: aligning with the APC provides access to influence, resources, and stability.
Kano and the North West Equation
Kano remains the political heartbeat of Northern Nigeria. Any shift in its alignment sends ripples across the entire region. The current political leadership in Kano finds itself at a crossroads torn between the New Nigeria People’s Party’s (NNPP) uncertain future, the PDP’s declining relevance, and the APC’s renewed dominance.
Remaining outside the ruling party risks political marginalization. A rapprochement with the APC appears increasingly inevitable. Given Kano’s massive population and symbolic influence, such a defection would not only reshape Northern politics but also strengthen the APC’s hold ahead of 2027.
Should these defections occur, Nigeria could witness a renewed sense of national cohesion. A broader APC presence across all regions would:
Reduce regional tension by bridging long-standing gaps between the federal government and previously alienated zones.
Foster coordinated development between the center and the states.
Strengthen democratic stability by reducing the culture of confrontation that often stalls governance.
In this context, Tinubu’s inclusive approach may well serve as a catalyst for a more unified and cooperative federal system.
The Road to 2027: APC’s Emerging Dominance
A mass defection of governors into the APC would cement President Tinubu’s political control ahead of the 2027 general elections. It would potentially give the ruling party overwhelming dominance across more than 30 states, consolidating its electoral advantage.
Such a scenario would:
Weaken the opposition’s bargaining power.
Ensure smoother implementation of federal reforms at state levels.
Provide the Tinubu administration with the political stability required to deliver on long term economic and governance objectives.
While critics may interpret this as the rise of a one-party state, others will see it as a reflection of political maturity where national interest and developmental alignment take precedence over partisanship.
Nigeria’s political evolution shows that major realignments occur when the ruling party combines strength with inclusiveness. What is unfolding under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership is a deliberate repositioning of Nigeria’s political architecture anchored on unity, development, and pragmatism.
Governors from the South South, South East, and Kano may soon converge politically with the President, not out of coercion, but out of political necessity and national interest.
As this trend gathers momentum, it signals the rise of a new political era one in which the APC transforms into a truly pan-Nigerian party capable of steering the nation toward stability, inclusiveness, and sustainable growth.
God bless Nigeria.
Dr. Sagir S. Buhari, FCIA,
Political Scientist and Public Affairs Analyst.
buharisageer@gmail.com
15th October, 2025
Kano State, Nigeria.
