BREAKING: 2027 Election: Ex-CPC Lawmakers Declare Support for 1 Candidate, Send Warning to El-Rufai, Malami

FCT, Abuja – Former members of the seventh national assembly, elected on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), have declared their support for a single candidate ahead of the 2027 election.

The group has also issued a stern warning to Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna, over their attempts to speak on behalf of the CPC legacy.

The forum, which gathered in Abuja on Wednesday, April 23, also announced Tanko Al-Makura, the former governor of Nasarawa, as its leader.

Al-Makura is the only state chief executive elected on the CPC platform, and the group made it clear that only he, alongside the elected members of the seventh national assembly, have the authority to represent the party’s legacy.

Political ‘lightweights’ accused of misrepresenting the CPC legacy

During a press briefing after the meeting, Nasiru Ila, the chairman of the forum, vehemently opposed the actions of Malami and el-Rufai, labelling them as political “lightweights” who lack credibility and the moral authority to speak for the defunct party.

“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.

He further emphasised that the only legitimate representatives of the CPC’s legacy were those elected on its platform in 2011, noting that the group’s members, along with Al-Makura, remained the rightful voice 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,” Ila said.

CPD declares commitment to Tinubu

Ila went on to stress the group’s loyalty to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, reaffirming their commitment to defending the core values that led to the formation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also urged Nigerians to disregard any statements made in the name of the CPC without the proper authorisation.

“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 said.

He also urged the public, civil society, and the media to scrutinise any claims made under the banner of the CPC, emphasising that only those who were elected during the seventh national assembly and Tanko Al-Makura had the authority to represent the defunct party.

Disputing Malami’s alleged lack of moral standing

The group’s statements come after Okoi Obono-Obla, a former special adviser on public prosecution under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, criticised Malami’s claim that the CPC’s declaration of loyalty to President Tinubu did not reflect the position of the entire group.

Obono-Obla dismissed Malami’s authority to represent the CPC, pointing to his 2007 election candidacy under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he argued diminished Malami’s moral standing to speak for the CPC.

Call for unity and support for 2027 elections

The forum, consisting of prominent figures such as Ibrahim Musa, Ibrahim Gobir, and Mohammed Tukur, expressed their dedication to continuing the fight for the values of the APC and ensuring that their voices, and those of the CPC’s true supporters, are not misrepresented in the upcoming election.

With the 2027 election on the horizon, the ex-CPC lawmakers’ strong stance signals their readiness to be a force in Nigerian politics, aligning with a candidate who upholds the principles of the defunct party.

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The group concluded by urging the APC to unite and focus on the future, cautioning against any attempts to undermine the integrity of their party’s legacy.

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