Nasarawa APC Rift Deepens As Group Blames Primary Crisis For Defections, Rejects Al-Makura ‘Scapegoating’

• Nasarawa Vanguard has rejected claims that former Governor Tanko Al-Makura is behind the growing defections from the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, describing the allegation as an attempt to divert attention from unresolved internal grievances.

• The group said the defections were largely triggered by dissatisfaction with the APC governorship primary, which it alleged failed to provide a credible and inclusive process for aspirants and party members who participated in the exercise.

• Several APC members, including four serving state lawmakers, have recently defected to other political parties, deepening concerns within the ruling party as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections.

• While the group defended Al-Makura’s loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and the APC, former Speaker Ibrahim Balarabe separately appealed to defectors to return, saying those who built the party should not abandon it at a critical time.

September 17, () – The crisis rocking the Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a fresh turn, with the Nasarawa Vanguard urging the party’s leadership to stop blaming former Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, for the wave of defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group’s position followed reports that the party’s state Chairman, Aliyu Bello, was planning to organise a protest against Al-Makura over alleged attempts to encourage members of the ruling party to defect to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Nasarawa Vanguard described the proposed protest as misplaced, arguing that the party leadership should instead confront the grievances arising from its governorship primary, which it identified as the major factor responsible for the disaffection within the party.

According to the group, attributing the defections to Al-Makura amounts to looking for a scapegoat rather than addressing the internal issues that have alienated some party members.

“The wave of defections from the Nasarawa APC has nothing to do with any behind-the-scenes support from Al-Makura. The real cause is the flawed governorship primary, which left aspirants and ordinary party members without any genuine opportunity to participate in the process”, the group stated.

The disagreement comes at a sensitive period for the APC as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, with the party facing challenges over its internal cohesion and the loyalty of influential members.

Several APC members have already defected to opposition parties, with four members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly ( including Mohammed Omadefu, Isimbabi Garba, Kudu Ajegana and Inarigu Kana) among those who have left the party.

While the development has heightened concerns over the ability of the APC to maintain its political structure in the state as the 2027 contest approaches, Nasarawa Vanguard has rejected any attempt to portray Al-Makura as an opponent of the APC or President Bola Tinubu, pointing to his political history within the coalition that produced the ruling party.

The former governor emerged from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the political blocs that participated in the 2013 negotiations and merger that culminated in the formation of the APC.

The group also cited Al-Makura’s continued association with the Tinubu administration as evidence that he remains politically aligned with the President. It noted that the former governor retained his position as Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) board following the reconstitution of the board in December 2025.

The group described him as “a founding member of the APC and a committed supporter of the President”, while arguing that his support for a particular aspirant during the party’s governorship primary should not automatically be interpreted as opposition to either the APC or Tinubu.

Nasarawa Vanguard called on Bello and other party leaders to engage aggrieved stakeholders and address the grievances responsible for the defections instead of concentrating on allegations against Al-Makura.

It urged the APC leadership to prioritise reconciliation and internal dialogue, warning that continued accusations could deepen divisions within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, the immediate past Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe, has appealed to APC members who have defected to other political parties to reconsider their decisions and return to the ruling party.

Balarabe made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Lafia on Tuesday, following the defection of the immediate past Chairman of Toto Local Government Area, Aliyu Abdullahi, from the APC.

The former Speaker said party members who contributed to building the APC should not abandon it at a time when their contributions were needed to strengthen the organisation.

He likened the situation to building a house and abandoning it “at the time you need it most.”