The Forum of State Chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) on Saturday distanced itself from a recent visit by some of its members to the Abuja residence of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
The forum described the visit as the personal decision of a few individuals, stressing that it did not represent the official position of the group. The forum also used the opportunity to urge the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to address what it called the continued marginalization of the CPC bloc within the APC.
Atiku Abubakar, who has reportedly since left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is allegedly wooing key opposition figures to rally behind him in a bid to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. Although he has not officially declared for any existing political party, there are indications that the former Vice President may formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the polls.
Recent political realignments have seen several CPC chieftains, including former governors of Kaduna and Rivers states, Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, as well as former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, reportedly team up with Atiku to work against Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Earlier in the week, Atiku had announced the visit of some former CPC state chairmen on his social media handles, stating that he advised them to encourage their supporters to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration.
However, in a statement released on Saturday and signed by Kasim Mabo (National Chairman), Sulaiman Oyaremi (National Secretary), Olalekan Obolo (South West Coordinator), Enyinnaya Nnachi (South East Coordinator), and Ahmad Dawayo (North East and North West Coordinator), the Forum clarified that out of its 37 members, only 16 have pledged their support to Atiku, while 20 remain with President Tinubu.
The statement claimed that allies of the opposition have been pressuring the forum with offers of financial incentives to dump the APC in preparation for 2027.
“We wish to categorically state that 20 members of the group remain committed to the All Progressives Congress,” the statement read. “We wish to state clearly that for some time now our Forum has been put under intense pressure which includes financial gratification by opposition leaders which accounts for why nine of our members succumbed to their pressure a few months ago and seven others joined them only last week as it appears they could no longer resist the pressure.”
The group emphasized that the moment calls for reflection from the Presidency and the APC leadership to address the “continued neglect of the CPC bloc,” particularly the Forum of State Chairmen, who they claim are feeling increasingly alienated.
“Without the fear of sounding immodest, we remain the direct link to the grassroots structures that gave the CPC its national relevance and we were the Chairmen that worked with President Muhammadu Buhari of blessed memory to achieve the much touted 12.5m votes,” the statement added.
The Forum further noted that the gathering of CPC elements at Atiku’s residence was a move to give the former Vice President a misleading impression of “widespread support.” Reaffirming its loyalty, the Forum expressed support for the leadership of the defunct CPC bloc, led by Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Aminu Masari, and Tajudeen Abbas.
“We remain loyal, patient, but firm in our resolve to demand for better patronage just as we pray that the Almighty God shall continue to guide Mr President and indeed all our leaders,” the statement concluded.
