A group of former state chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has denied endorsing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, distancing itself from a recent visit by a handful of its members to the opposition leader.
The Forum of State Chairmen of the defunct CPC, in a statement jointly signed by its National Chairman, Kasim Mabo and National Secretary, Sulaiman Oyaremi, described the visit as misleading and unrepresentative of the forum’s stance.
They also used the opportunity to raise concerns about the continued neglect of the CPC bloc by both the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership.
According to the Forum, of its 37 original members, 20 remain loyal to the APC and President Bola Tinubu, while 16 have declared support for Atiku. One member, they noted, has passed away.
“Twenty of us remain unwavering in our commitment to the APC,” the statement read.
“However, our Forum has faced significant pressure from opposition leaders, including offers of financial incentives, which has led to defections by some of our members.”
The Forum said nine members had defected under such pressure months ago, with seven more joining recently.
They insisted, however, that the visit to Atiku was part of an orchestrated effort to mislead the public and create the illusion of broad support.
The ex-CPC leaders also issued a stern reminder to the APC and the Presidency, urging them to address what they see as growing marginalization of their bloc.
“The Presidency and APC leadership must reflect on the continued neglect of the CPC bloc. We, the former state chairmen, were instrumental to the grassroots mobilization that helped the CPC gain national traction and delivered over 12.5 million votes under President Buhari,” the statement emphasized.
They expressed concern that key stakeholders from the CPC wing have been excluded from political appointments and critical decision-making roles within the current administration.
Reaffirming their loyalty, the Forum pledged allegiance to the leadership of the defunct CPC, specifically naming Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, and Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as leaders they still recognize and support.
“We remain loyal, patient, but firm in our demand for better inclusion and recognition. May God continue to guide the President and all our leaders,” the statement concluded.
The CPC, one of the four political parties that merged in 2013 to form the APC, has increasingly voiced dissatisfaction over being sidelined in recent years, a sentiment now boiling over among its grassroots operatives.
