Leaders of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) have dismissed reports linking them to an endorsement of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
As one of the blocs that merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, the group insisted its loyalty remains with President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party.
The clarification follows reports that a group of former President Muhammadu Buhari loyalists had shifted allegiance to Atiku.
First Daily recalls that the move, formalised on Thursday, September 18, came during a private meeting at Atiku’s Abuja residence, where some state chairmen of the defunct CPC, Buhari’s original political platform, gathered to chart a new political course.
In recent months, some CPC members have openly complained of marginalisation and exclusion from key appointments in Tinubu’s administration.
However, in a statement issued at the weekend by the forum of state chairmen of the defunct CPC, the leaders distanced themselves from the alleged meeting with Atiku.
The statement, signed by the forum’s National Chairman, Kasim Mabo, and Secretary, Sulaiman Oyaremi, described the move as “misleading and unrepresentative” of their bloc.
“We wish to categorically state that 20 members of the group remain committed to the All Progressives Congress,” the forum said.
It acknowledged that while 16 members had pledged support to the former Vice President, the majority remained with the APC.
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The leaders also alleged that opposition figures, including Atiku’s associates, had been making attempts to lure them with financial inducements.
“We wish to state clearly that for some time now, our forum has been put under intense pressure which includes financial gratification by opposition leaders which accounts for why nine of our members succumbed to their pressure a few months ago, and seven others joined them only last week as it appears they could no longer resist the pressure,” Mabo and Oyaremi said.
“As we speak, however, 20 of us remain unwavering as we have lost one of our members from Borno State.
“This moment, however, calls for reflection, especially by the Presidency and the APC leadership to urgently address the continued neglect of the CPC bloc, particularly the forum of State Chairmen who are feeling increasingly alienated.
“Without the fear of sounding immodest we remain the direct link to the grassroots structures that gave the CPC its national relevance and we were the Chairmen that worked with President Buhari of blessed memory to achieve the much touted 12.5 million votes,” they added.
The forum dismissed the reported visit to Atiku as an attempt to mislead the former Vice President.
It reaffirmed its loyalty to the defunct CPC bloc leadership under Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, and Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
“We remain loyal, patient, but firm in our resolve to demand for better patronage just as we pray that the Almighty God shall continue to guide Mr President and indeed all our leaders,” the statement concluded.