Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state has reiterated his unwavering loyalty and commitment to the progressive ideals of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This was contained in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, and made available to Blueprint in Lafia on Monday.
The governor’s position is coming on the heels of a comment credited to one Alhaji Zazagga calling on Governor Sule to come out clearly declare whether his loyalty was with President Tinubu in 2027 or to the contrary.
“The attention of the office of the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state, has been drawn to a recent statement purportedly issued by one Alhaji Saleh Zazagga, who calls himself the chairman of the North-Central APC forum (whatever that means) entitled: “2027: North-Central APC forum fingers governor Sule In Double Game over Tinubu’s 2nd term bid.”
“While the governor’s office respects the right to political discourse and hardly responds to every noise around, it has become necessary to react to Mr. Zazagga’s diatribe because it is riddled with inaccuracies, deliberate misrepresentations and a glaring disconnect from the facts.
The statement said Sule had consistently demonstrated his commitment to President Tinubu’s administration since its inception.
“His recent remarks at the event organised by the ALGON in Nasarawa state and friends of the new SGS, Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, (PhD) were neither a contradiction of the efforts of those encouraging all the former CPC members to remain in APC nor an endorsement of division.
“Rather, the governor’s reference to former President Muhammadu Buhari as the undisputed and symbolic leader of the defunct CPC bloc was a historical fact, not a political slight.
“So, His Excellency, governor Sule is neither a favour seeker nor want any recognition from anyone”.
The statement added that if the writer now claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR was not the undisputed leader of the CPC bloc in APC, he then owed the public and loyal party members a duty to clarify or justify same rather than beating around the bush.
“It is public knowledge that Buhari, as the founder of the CPC, remains a respected figure whose influence transcends factions”.
He said Governor Sule’s call for unity, including his appeal to former Attorney General of the Federation AGF and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, to remain in the APC, was a strategic push to consolidate all legacy blocs under the APC umbrella.
“This aligns perfectly with President Tinubu’s vision of a broad-based, inclusive party.
“To insinuate that Governor Sule is against Tinubu because he acknowledged Buhari’s historical role is not only illogical but a deliberate distortion of context.
Adding that the group’s attempt to pitch Governor Sule against Senator Al-makura, his predecessor and political ally, was disingenuous, as both leaders had worked collaboratively to redefine governance under the umbrella of the APC in Nasarawa state and beyond.
Governor Sule’s statement that ” Only President Buhari can truly decide for the CPC” was a pragmatic recognition of the former president’s unique position as the bloc’s founder.
“To claim otherwise is to ignore the nuance of intra-party dynamics. This is a fact known by those who understand how CPC was formed.
He said that the governor’s focus remains ensuring that all factions, including those loyal to President Buhari, remain firmly within the APC fold, a goal that directly benefits APC.
He, therefore, said that the Forum’s allegation that governor Sule “Opposed” President Tinubu’s tax reforms is a gross misrepresentation and lacking knowledge of happenings in the country.
As according to him “Governor Sule only defended the position of the Northern governors and traditional rulers and thank God that both Mr. President and the National Assembly accepted the position of the Northern governors.
“Those who are competent to understand what really happened are full of praise for the governor and his colleagues. To attract investment to Nasarawa state, His Excellency has always supported policies that stimulate economic growth which is in line with President Tinubu’s long-term vision.
The statement, therefore, urged Alhaji Zazagga and his group to retract their divisive claims and partner with patriotic stakeholders in advancing the APC’s collective interests.
He said the era of politics of deceit and illiteracy was long gone as those in authority understand the game better.
“Unity and constructive engagement, not divisive rhetoric, will secure victory for the APC in 2027, and no one understands it better than our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR”, the statement noted.