CPC Bloc Distances Itself from El-Rufai, Malami; Reaffirms Support for Tinubu Ahead of 2027 Elections

In a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, former lawmakers of the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have distanced themselves from ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.

The group reaffirmed its unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dismissing recent moves by the duo to claim leadership of the CPC legacy.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the former CPC lawmakers, who served in Nigeria’s 7th National Assembly, accused El-Rufai and Malami of attempting to speak on behalf of the CPC bloc without legitimate backing.

They stated that the two former officials were acting independently and did not represent the interests or consensus of the CPC family.

Nasiru Ila, a former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), said the group had convened to publicly counter what they described as a false narrative by El-Rufai and Malami.

“We, the former elected members of the CPC from the 7th Assembly, remain the only legitimate and authentic voice of the defunct CPC,” Ila said. “No one else—not even former appointees—can claim to speak for us.”
The statement comes amid growing reports of El-Rufai and Malami collaborating with opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in a bid to form a formidable coalition aimed at challenging Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The CPC bloc’s declaration not only signals internal tensions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but also suggests a strategic consolidation of Tinubu’s base as political jockeying intensifies.

The defunct CPC was one of the key legacy parties that merged to form the APC in 2013, alongside the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). President Buhari, the CPC’s most prominent figure, later handed over to Tinubu in 2023.

By distancing themselves from El-Rufai and Malami, the former CPC lawmakers are asserting their loyalty to the current administration and rejecting any attempts to fragment the party’s coalition in the lead-up to 2027.