• Group Affirms Tanko Al-Makura as Legitimate Leader, Dismisses El-Rufai and Malami as “Lightweights”
By John Audu.
Former members of the seventh National Assembly, elected under the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), have publicly rejected the claims of a faction led by former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, asserting that they hold no authority to represent the legacy party.
In a decisive move, the forum announced former Nasarawa governor, Tanko Al-Makura, as their leader, emphasizing his position as the sole state chief executive elected on the CPC platform.
Following a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the group issued a strong statement, denouncing El-Rufai and former Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, as political “lightweights” with a “negative balance” of value.
Speaking to journalists, Nasiru Ila, chairman of the forum, reiterated the group’s unwavering commitment to the core values that led to the formation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and pledged their steadfast loyalty to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“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,” Ila stated. “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.”
Ila emphasized that the former elected members of the CPC from the seventh assembly, along with those who contested and won elections, remain the “only legitimate and authentic voice” of the defunct party.
“We are the true custodians of the party’s legacy and the representatives of the 12 million Nigerians, predominantly in northern Nigeria, who entrusted us with their mandate,” he asserted.
The group urged Nigerians, particularly CPC supporters, to disregard any statements or actions made in the name of the defunct party without their authorization.
Reaffirming their loyalty to President Tinubu, Ila pledged to defend the APC’s core values and ensure that the voices of its supporters are not “exploited or misrepresented.”
He further called on the media, civil society, and the public to verify any claims made under the CPC banner, reiterating that only members of the seventh assembly and Al-Makura are the legitimate representatives of the legacy party.
Key figures present at the meeting included Ibrahim Musa, Ibrahim Gobir, Sanusi Aliyu, Mohammed Tukur, Ahmed Sani, Ibrahim Chachangi, Yusuf Bala, and Garuba Datti, the current APC national vice-chairman (north-west).
