- Forum distances self from opposition to President’s second term
The Northcentral APC Forum has said will not join any coalition against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It distanced itself from the Northeast and Northwest alliances against the President’s second term.
There have been speculations that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), and the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, are allegedly planning to form a coalition against President Tinubu in 2027.
The rumours intensified after the opposition figures openly criticised the Tinubu administration and the ruling APC at the recent National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria in Abuja.
But in a statement at the weekend by its Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, the forum emphasised that the Northcentral had learnt from past experiences, particularly its treatment under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Zazzaga explained that the forum’s stance stemmed from the region’s past experiences, where, despite playing a key role in APC’s formation and Buhari’s 2015 victory, the region was allegedly marginalised in governance, infrastructure, and security.
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The form chairman recalled that erstwhile Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura was the only sitting opposition governor who actively contributed to APC’s electoral victory.
According to him, once in power, the Buhari administration overlooked the region, denying it key positions, like the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and failing to address its developmental and security concerns.
Zazzaga said under President Tinubu, the forum was confident that the Northcentral has got a fairer national relevance and would not repeat the past mistakes.