Former members of the seventh national assembly, elected on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), have declared that former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and ex-governor of Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai, have no authority to speak on behalf of their legacy.
The forum, which met in Abuja on Wednesday, announced the former governor of Nasarawa, Tanko Al-Makura, as its leader. Al-Makura is recognized as the only state chief executive elected on the CPC platform.
Naijaonpoint reports that the group expressed disdain for Malami and el-Rufai, describing them as political “lightweights” who carry a “negative balance” in value, particularly in relation to the CPC’s legacy.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the chairman of the forum, Nasiru Ila, reaffirmed their commitment to the values that laid the foundation for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and pledged unwavering 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, purporting to act on behalf of its legacy and its millions of supporters,” Ila stated.
Ila went on to clarify that no one outside of the elected representatives of the defunct CPC has the authority to speak on behalf of the party.
“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,” he said.
The forum emphasized that they, along with many others who had stood for election, won, and were “robbed” of their hard-won victories, remain the legitimate voice of the defunct CPC.
“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,” Ila added.
The group called on Nigerians, especially supporters of the CPC across northern Nigeria and beyond, to disregard any statements or actions made in the name of the defunct party without proper authorization.
Ila also reaffirmed their loyalty to President Tinubu, assuring that they would continue to defend the core values of the APC while safeguarding the interests of its supporters.
He urged the media, civil society, and the public to verify any claims made under the banner of the CPC, stressing that only members of the seventh assembly and Al-Makura hold the legitimate right to speak for the legacy party.
The meeting also saw a strong rebuttal to Abubakar Malami’s claim that the CPC bloc’s declaration of loyalty to President Tinubu did not reflect the position of the group.
On April 19, the former Special Adviser on Public Prosecution to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Okoi Obono-Obla, dismissed Malami’s statement, asserting that Malami lacked the moral authority to speak for the CPC, given his history of contesting an election in 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In attendance at the meeting were prominent members of the forum, including Ibrahim Musa, Ibrahim Gobir, Sanusi Aliyu, Mohammed Tukur, Ahmed Sani, Ibrahim Chachangi, Yusuf Bala, and Garuba Datti, the current APC national vice-chairman for the north-west.