By Abiola Olawale
A political storm is brewing within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Dr Abubakar Malami, SAN, has publicly dismissed assertions by Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura’s group, which claimed to represent the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc within the party.
This is as Malami, in a statement released through his media aide, Muhammed Bello Doka, questioned the legitimacy of Al-Makura’s faction.
He argued that the group, comprising figures like former Governor of Nasarawa State, Al-Makura, former Katsina Governor Bello Masari, former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, and others, does not represent the CPC bloc’s collective stance.
Malami also criticized their recent communique, which affirmed support for Tinubu’s policies and programs, as a personal move driven by individual interests rather than a unified bloc decision.
The statement reads in part: “When you say CPC bloc, one needs to know who they are referring to. Is it the likes of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Adamu Adamu, Masari and Faruku Adamu Aliyu who, a few months ago, had been throwing Buhari under the bus in desperate attempts to gain relevance that should decide for the bloc?”
He described their decision as personal, with no connection with the CPC bloc, adding that it was for them to gain relevance in the APC for personal benefits.
On his rumoured defection to the Social Democracy Party, SDP, Malami dismissed it as figments of the imagination of those peddling the rumour.
“Malami is a prominent figure in Nigeria; therefore, he cannot defect to any party in secret; he is still in APC but in broad consultations with different platforms. Until the consultations are over, it is premature to talk about defection or declaration of interest.
‘’Malami has the right to belong to any political party and to contest any position in Kebbi State.”
This comes after former Nasarawa State governor, Al-Makura, former Katsina governor, Bello Masari, ex-Education Minister, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, along with 20 others, issued a statement affirming their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his policies and programmes.
The communique reads in part: ‘’We, the undersigned leaders and committed members of the former CPC, who were part of those instrumental in the historic merger that gave birth to the APC, hereby issue this statement to clarify our unalloyed loyalty to our great party and express firm solidarity with the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
‘’Recent misleading narratives suggesting a defection or disaffection among CPC stakeholders are false, misleading and should be ignored. We remain integral to the APC and are fully aligned with its leadership.’’
