…Says ex-AGF, Malami, has no political value
Ahead of the next general elections, 20 former chieftains of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), who served as Senators and House of Representatives members in the 7th National Assembly, have pledged loyalty to incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket.
They made the pledge on Wednesday during a media briefing in Abuja.
The CPC was one of the legacy parties that dissolved to form the APC in 2013, becoming the main opposition party ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Checks revealed that certain members of the CPC bloc within the ruling party have opened discussions with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar regarding the formation of a coalition to oust the APC.
Addressing journalists, Chairman of the Forum of Elected Members of the Defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) from the 2011 National Assembly Elections, Honourable Babale Ila, explained why they would not abandon the APC for any other platform.
He also declared that, contrary to insinuations from certain aggrieved chieftains of the defunct CPC and the North, President Tinubu has been fair to the region.
He said, “We are with Tinubu. He has done a lot for the North West. He has established the Ministry for Livestock and given us the North West Development Commission. Today, the one for the North West is the ministry with the highest budget among all the commissions created for regions. Tinubu has done a lot for us. Yes, we have issues with the present government, but we can’t throw away the baby with the bathwater.
“We can’t stand here and say marginalisation doesn’t exist. However, as loyal party members, we can’t leave the APC.”
Reacting to a declaration by former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), that former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, could not speak for the defunct CPC bloc in the APC, the Forum maintained that, as the only governor under the defunct CPC that coalesced to form the APC, Senator Tanko Al-Makura is the only leader recognised to speak for the CPC bloc.
Their communique read in part: “It is also pertinent to emphasise that the CPC, having produced only one governor in the federation—Sen. Tanko Al-Makura, Governor of Nasarawa State—this body of duly elected Members of the 7th National Assembly (NASS) recognises him as our leader. This forum will work with him to ensure that what we worked hard and sacrificed so much for—this party, our party, the ruling party, our APC—succeeds in delivering, beyond expectations, the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians, which were the instruments that led to the merger in the first place.
“It has come to our attention that certain individuals, groups, and entities who had no electoral value during the heyday of the CPC have falsely claimed to speak for or represent the CPC, purporting to act on behalf of its legacy and its millions of supporters.
“We categorically declare that no person, group of persons, or entity has the authority to speak for or on behalf of the defunct CPC, except the elected representatives of the party who were duly chosen by its supporters in 2011.
“We, the former elected Members of the CPC from the 7th Assembly and many more who stood for elections, won, and were subsequently robbed of their hard-earned, hard-won, yet short-lived victories, remain the only legitimate and authentic voice of the defunct CPC.
“We are the true custodians of the party’s legacy and the representatives of the twelve million Nigerians, predominantly in Northern Nigeria, who entrusted us with their mandate.
“We call on all Nigerians, particularly the supporters of the CPC in Northern Nigeria and beyond, to disregard any unauthorised statements, actions, or representations made in the name of the CPC.
“We reaffirm our commitment to upholding the values of the APC and ensuring that the voice of its supporters is not misrepresented or exploited.
“We further urge the media, civil society, and the general public to verify the authenticity of any claims related to the defunct CPC, and to recognise only the elected Members of the 7th Assembly and our leader, the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Sen. Tanko Al-Makura, as the legitimate representatives of the defunct party’s legacy.”
Members of the Forum who attended the media briefing included Honourable Ibrahim Gobir, Senator Ibrahim Musa, Honourable Sanusi Aliyu, Honourable Mohammed Tukur, Senator Ahmed Sani, Honourables Ibrahim Chachangi, Yusuf Bala, and the incumbent National Vice Chairman North West, APC, Honourable Garuba Datti.
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