Erstwhile members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), who are among the founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, affirmed their continued membership of APC.
Not long after the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, moved over to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), words started making the rounds that loyalists of former President Muhammadu Buhari were on the verge of defecting from the ruling party.
But rising from a special meeting in Abuja, yesterday, the core members of the CPC bloc in APC announced that they were not part of any move to quit the ruling party or join any coalition against President Bola Tinubu and APC.
In a seven-point communiqué released to journalists, the core members declared: “Recent misleading narratives suggesting a defection or disaffection among CPC stakeholders are false, mischievous and should be ignored. We remain an integral part of the APC and are fully aligned with its leadership and vision.”
While reaffirming their loyalty to the APC, the former CPC faithful announced their support for Tinubu, assuring him that “the CPC family remains a vital pillar of the APC and will continue to play a responsible role in its growth and the progress of Nigeria.”
Signatories to the communiqué include Senators Umaru Al-Makura, Ibrahim Musa and Mustafa Salihu, as well as Dr Nasiru Argungu, Dr Dominic Alancha, Aminu Masari, Adamu Adamu, Farouk Aliyu, AlmajiriGeidam, Waziri Bulama and Ayuba Balami.
Others are Osita Okechukwu, Okoi Obono-Obla, Lucy Ajayi, Bala Jibrin, Uche Ufearoh, Yusuf Salihu, Abubakar Maikudi, Mutallib Badmus, Muhammed Datti, Muhammed Etsu, Jerry Johnson and Alkali Ajikolo.
Part of the communiqué reads: “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 APC, hereby issue this statement to clarify our unalloyed loyalty to our great party and express firm solidarity with the Tinubu administration.
“We wish to state categorically that we have neither left the APC nor do we intend to leave. The CPC bloc remains one of the legacy foundations of the APC, and we are resolute in our commitment to the party and its progressive ideals.”
However, they urged leaders of the APC to scale up engagement with members across all levels, noting that strengthening internal communication would reduce tension, foster inclusiveness and enhance support for the party’s programmes.
“Party unity must be nurtured continuously to sustain the gains and to secure the future,” they stated.