The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum, has described the decision of the political bloc comprising members of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change, CPC, led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, as a clear message to failed politicians.
This came after the CPC bloc rejected the coalition against President Bola Tinubu.
The coalition, led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the 2023 election and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party is aimed at defeating Tinubu and the APC in 2027.
Reacting to the CPC’s decision, the Forum, in a statement released on Thursday by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, said: "The North-Central APC Forum salutes the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, for snubbing the opposition coalition being formed against President Bola Tinubu and our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
"By this singular act, Tanko Al-Makura has shown that he is a committed, loyal party man who believes strongly in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the APC. He and his team have demonstrated loyalty to the party and to Mr. President and we wholeheartedly commend them for this exemplary conduct.
"By rejecting the opposition coalition, the Al-Makura-led CPC bloc has sent a message to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 election. The message, which is loud and clear, is that Nigerians should reject any attempt to derail the reforms and good work being done by President Bola Tinubu's administration to turn the fortunes of the country around.
"The failed politicians who are championing the coalition against Mr. President do not have anything better to offer Nigerians - they do not even have the interests of Nigerians at heart - they are only aggrieved because they lost the last election, and they are not part of President Bola Tinubu's government.
"Just as the Tanko Al-Makura-led CPC bloc has shown that they are people of integrity and honour by rejecting the coalition, we urge Nigerians to reject the coalition and any other attempt to turn back the progress recorded so far under President Bola Tinubu's administration.
"With former Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura fully on board, the North-Central APC Forum is confident of actualising the promise to deliver six million votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
"The North-Central is indeed for the APC and President Bola Tinubu and this is not surprising when one considers the historical role played by the zone in the formation of the APC.”
The statement added, "The North-Central brought a sitting governor in the coalition. Many of the other zones did not bring anything.
"Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State in the North-Central was the only sitting governor that actively participated in forming the APC.
"But it is unfortunate that after he became President, Buhari did not even consider that when we asked for the position of Speaker and the position was taken to Lagos.
"During Buhari's government the North-Central suffered most - we were denied infrastructure, our roads were not attended to and the high level of insecurity in the region was not addressed.
"Instead the North-East and the North-West concentrated all the benefits in their zones. Federal appointments, which many Nigerians believed favoured the North, only went to the two zones. The North-Central was left out."