Al-Makura, Marwa, Bakare Clash Over Who Inherits Buhari’s Political Crown

The death of former President Muhammadu Buhari has triggered a fierce power struggle within the political ranks of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc, with prominent loyalists now jostling to assume control of the legacy he left behind. Although the CPC officially merged with other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, Buhari’s passing has reignited a wave of political maneuvering by figures formerly aligned with the party’s ideology.

According to iReporter Online, notable individuals staking claims to CPC’s symbolic leadership include former Nasarawa State Governor Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Confederation of APC Support Groups’ Director-General Prof. Muhammad Kailani, Buhari’s 2011 running mate Pastor Tunde Bakare, and NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd). Others in the fray include Katsina State Governor Dr. Dikko Radda, former Governor Aminu Masari, ex-APC National Secretary Waziri Bulama, and several members of the 7th National Assembly.

Despite assertions by some veterans like Senator Abu Ibrahim that the CPC no longer exists as a political entity, recent moves suggest otherwise. According to iReporter Online, multiple political actors have begun aligning themselves as ideological custodians of Buhari’s political legacy, reigniting dormant rivalries under the APC umbrella.

Senator Al-Makura has emerged as a leading contender for the symbolic mantle. Through his aide, Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad—a member of the APC Independent Presidential Campaign Council—Al-Makura declared his rightful position as CPC’s enduring pillar, pointing to wide-ranging support from key allies. He cited a recent press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre where notable names such as Abu Ibrahim, Buba Marwa, Dikko Radda, and Osita Okechukwu openly backed him.

Supporters have described Al-Makura as the only person ever elected governor under the CPC platform and the man who held the party together in its most turbulent years. Bauchi APC stalwart Labib Abdullahi Mahmood described him as a “silent hurricane” with deep political roots dating back to 1979. He further revealed that Al-Makura had held crucial meetings with both Buhari and President Tinubu in London, where Tinubu reportedly promised to compensate the CPC bloc for its loyalty.

The North Central APC Forum Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, also emphasized Al-Makura’s standing, stating that even the late President Buhari acknowledged him as the bloc’s most senior figure. Zazzaga dismissed other contenders, noting that individuals like Buba Galadima had long detached themselves from the group’s core vision.

Meanwhile, Prof. Muhammad Kailani has declared his own intention to carry the CPC torch. Recalling his decades-long journey with Buhari through the APP, ANPP, CPC, and APC eras, Kailani claimed that Buhari had entrusted his followers to support the present government, insisting that they were instrumental in bringing the administration to power.

According to iReporter Online, the unfolding leadership contest within the CPC remnants reveals the intensity of internal APC power dynamics as loyalists scramble to secure Buhari’s ideological inheritance and reposition themselves ahead of the next political cycle.