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Fresh APC defections have seen party stakeholders in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina move to the Accord Party, throwing their weight behind Gbenga Hashim for the 2027 presidential race. The shift adds to the early political realignment taking shape across northern Nigeria as parties position themselves ahead of the next general election.
What the APC defections mean
The stakeholders from the three northern states announced their move to the Accord Party in support of Hashim’s presidential ambition. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has declared his intention to contest the 2027 election on the party’s platform, and reports say he has mobilised a large base of supporters into Accord as he seeks to build a national coalition.
Defections are a familiar feature of Nigerian politics, particularly in the long run-up to a general election. Politicians switch parties in search of better platforms, stalled ambitions or sharper bargaining positions, and each high-profile move can shift the balance in a state or zone.
A crowded field for 2027
The realignment comes as opposition figures explore alliances aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress. With several prominent politicians weighing their options, the contest for 2027 is already drawing intense manoeuvring, even though the vote is still some way off.
For Accord, attracting figures from the north could broaden its reach in a region that carries significant electoral weight. Northern states command large voter populations, and any party hoping to mount a serious national challenge must build support there. Winning over established local players is one way to gain a foothold.
Why northern politics matters
Kano, Jigawa and Katsina sit in a part of the country where party loyalties can shift quickly and where grassroots structures decide elections. Stakeholders who move with their followers can reshape the competitive picture, taking organisation and networks with them rather than just their own votes.
The defections also reflect tensions within the APC itself, where disputes over consensus arrangements, zoning and candidate selection have unsettled some members. When politicians feel sidelined in their original party, a rival platform can offer a fresh route to relevance and influence.
It remains early, and political alignments in Nigeria are fluid. Today’s defectors can return, and today’s alliances can dissolve before ballots are cast. Many of the figures now declaring loyalties may yet recalculate as the field clarifies and the major parties firm up their tickets.
Still, each announced move offers a clue to the direction of travel. The shift of northern stakeholders to Accord signals that the opposition space is active and that contenders are working to assemble the coalitions a presidential run demands.
Analysts caution against reading too much into any single wave of defections this far from the polls. Party membership in Nigeria is often strategic, and the figures who matter most are those who can mobilise voters on election day, not merely those who announce a switch.
What is clear is that the opposition is restless and searching for a structure capable of taking on the ruling party. Whether Accord becomes a serious vehicle for that effort, or whether the energy shifts elsewhere, will become clearer as 2027 draws nearer.
This is a developing political story. Viorah TV reports the announced defections neutrally and will track how the alignments evolve as the 2027 contest takes clearer shape.
