The author, Prof. John Paden, noted that many party chiefs preferred to hold midnight meetings with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo inside his residence in Abuja to meeting with Buhari, who he said was being regarded as a “loner” and “outsider” within the APC.
He said that was why many want Buhari to be close to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; and a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who they believe can help him reach out.
Prof Paden wrote, “With the PDP fracturing, observers wondered if splits were also developing in the APC, given that it is a coalition of recent vintage.
“As of spring 2016, no serious divisions were visible, although rumours often surfaced when Buhari was out of the country, especially regarding the legal case against Senate President Saraki, a recent convert to the APC.
“President Buhari is not a natural party politician. Complaints have arisen within his party that he is a ‘loner’. APC politicians in Abuja were more likely to congregate at night at the home of the Vice-President than at the Presidential Villa with Buhari.
“The fact that Buhari has been perceived as an “outsider” to politics by the general public has been his strength.
“Still, voices within the APC have suggested Buhari engage such long-term politicians as Abubakar Atiku and Bola Tinubu to rally the APC governors and ensure that the President has closer ties to the state and local levels of the party.
“Men such as Atiku and Tinubu could provide links to key constituents, such as traditional rulers and grassroots NGOs.”
The author admitted that with economic growth at a dismal level, for reasons he said were largely global, many of Buhari’s ardent supporters were losing patience.
