Politics

Middle Belt not part of coalition against Tinubu in 2027 —Wuyep

THE chairman of the Plateau State of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Elders Forum, Ambassador Danladi Wuyep, has said the Middle Belt is not part of the ongoing coalition against President Bola Tinubu seeking a second term in office in 2027.

Wuyep, who said the Muslim-Muslim ticket had backfired on the North, averred that the coalition being championed by some politicians, including a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was based on personal ambition.

He claimed that they suddenly became agitated simply because they could not get what they wanted from the Tinubu-led administration.

Wuyep, who said such individuals are dealing with politicians that are smarter than them in all ramifications, claimed that President Tinubu was aware of what they are capable of doing and would checkmate them at the appropriate time.

“They think that by forming a coalition they would be able to unseat him; it is not going to be easy. President Tinubu knows exactly what is happening. He knows the kind of people they are; he cannot be threatened or cajoled with coalition. Looking at the calibre of people behind the coalition, it is obvious that they can’t go anywhere, more so that President Tinubu is not sleeping.

“We in the Middle Belt are not part of this agenda; we are satisfied with what the Mr President is doing.

“The Muslim-Muslim ticket they championed had backfired on them. On the issue of coalition, we are not on the same page with the Far North.

“Tinubu knows the kind of people he will work with or he will use to consolidate his position. We in the Middle Belt are not part of this conspiracy agenda.

“Whenever people said the North is against the President, we often asked them, which part of the North? We in the Middle Belt are comfortable with what Mr President is doing,” he said.

“Mark you, the North created this problem; when others were crying against the Muslim-Muslim ticket, they were happy about it; they were so excited, thinking that the president would pursue their agenda, but everything turned out to be the contrary, and now they are not happy.”

Wuyep said that because is dynamic, different tactics are used for different elections, adding that no one has the monopoly of the tactics to sway support to his favour.

He said: “It is an empty threat; we are in APC to work for our people, but these people are working for their interests, and we will not allow that. This is not like the coalition that frustrated the second-term aspiration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan; this one is vendetta and dead on arrival.”

Isaac Shobayo