From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Chieftains of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), loyal to former President Muhammadu Buhari, have reaffirmed their commitment to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The group, including Katsina State Governor Dr Umar Dikko Radda, former Katsina Governor Aminu Bello Masari, former Nasarawa Governor Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd), announced their stance at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, May 8.
Dismissing speculations of defection, Al-Makura, reading the group’s statement, said, “We have come together today with clarity, unity, and purpose. We are here to reaffirm our commitment to the ideals that brought us together in 2013, to set the records straight, and to send a clear message to all Nigerians that the former CPC majority stakeholders remain strong, united, and deeply loyal to the APC and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He added: “We are very much here, standing tall, standing proud, and standing firm within the party that we helped to found through sweat, sacrifice, and patriotic commitment.”
The chieftains acknowledged Tinubu’s “challenging but necessary” reforms, urging patience: “We commend the bold steps taken by President Tinubu, and we urge Nigerians to trust the process, knowing that the foundation being laid today will lead to a more prosperous and secure future.”
Reflecting on the 2013 APC merger with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and others, they said, “We recall with pride how we in the CPC, in collaboration with other patriots… contributed enormously to the spirit of unity and national cohesion that led to the defeat of an incumbent government in 2015.”
They encouraged aggrieved members to resolve issues through dialogue within the APC.