The National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Garba Muhammad, has cautioned former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and ex-governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, to tread softly ahead of the 2027 general election.
Muhammad, who hails from Kaduna State and served as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Sabon Gari federal constituency for 16 years, had in an open letter, told Atiku to “perish the thought of another presidential contest” and remain the statesman he was, noting that he had been contesting for the presidency since 1993.
Muhammad said: “As we approach the next general elections, you are at it again. However, this time around, having sensed that your party, the PDP, may not cede the presidential ticket to you, you are now considering joining forces with some aggrieved politicians to form a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“For you, Alhaji Atiku, our former vice president, my free-hearted advice is, in your best interest and the interest of Nigerians, it is better you drop the idea of contesting for president in 2027, by which time you would have already turned 80 years.
“The Wazirin Adamawa, you should rather remain the elder statesman that you currently are. Methinks you shouldn’t waste your time and resources. At least, you should take your cue from another former Vice President, Arc. Muhammad Namadi Sambo, who has been operating in the background and remains an elder statesman since he left office in 2015.”
Muhammad said Atiku should not listen to some politicians, such as former Kaduna governor, El-rufai who “are dangling the carrot of a coalition” to him ahead of 2027.
“In truth, even if you contest, you have nothing new to offer. Remember, you are also a proponent of subsidy removal. It is on record that, as vice president, you spearheaded the privatisation of some key national assets when you chaired the committee on privatisation during Obasanjo’s administration, while former Governor El-rufai was the Director General of the Bureau for Public Privatization, BPP.”
To el-rufai, the APC chieftain, who is also the chairman of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, Governing Board, he urged the former Kaduna State governor to reconcile with the APC since he was a founding member of the party who toiled to see its success.
The former lawmaker said: “It is on record that you were part of the founding members of the APC. Having worked for the party tirelessly and served as governor under its platform for eight years, it is rather worrisome that you decided to leave APC at this critical point.
“While still serving as governor in 2022, during one of your media chats, you averred that “the moment I leave APC, then I have quit politics altogether.” At this critical point, you should ponder and reconcile with the APC or quit politics altogether.
“The world knows that it was you who announced that you were not interested in any position in the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. Why should you turn to a critic overnight just because you perceived things were not going your way when you had unfettered access to the leadership of the party and the president?”
“As someone who was once close to you, I want to advise you to refrain from using emotions, sentiments and unsubstantiated claims/allegations in politics.
“I would like to tell you for free that no PDP governor will join the SDP because their party already has a structure on ground. Who will leave certainty to uncertainty? You may end up committing a serious political miscalculation.
“Frankly speaking, I think you should reflect deeply. One would expect that as a leading figure who supported the presidency to go to the South in 2023, you would support the zone to finish its eight years before canvassing for the rotation of the position to the north.”
He said both Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Governor Uba Sani had been working assiduously and harmoniously for the benefit of Kaduna State.
Governor Uba Sani’s leadership style also attracted the likes of former governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero; Senator Danjuma Laah; Senator Caleb Zegi; former PDP national organising secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; Amb. Sule Buba; Prof. Dogara Mato; member representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba federal constituency, Amos Magaji Gwamna, and the member for Igabi federal constituency, Hussaini Jalo, among others.
“We enjoy relative peace in Kaduna State today due to the kind of inclusive leadership of Governor Uba Sani, especially the rural areas,’’ he added
He stated further that the North West had never had it this good under any administration, saying “currently in the North-West, we have speaker of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State and the Deputy President of the Senate from Kano State.
‘’It has never happened in the history of Nigeria where two presiding officers of the National Assembly came from the same zone. We also have the national chairman of our great party from Kano State.
“Additionally, the North West also got 12 ministerial appointments, some of whom are manning critical ministries, such as the two ministers of defence; budget and national planning; environment; two ministers of housing; culture and creative economy; ministers of state for FCT, education and works etcetera.
The zone also has the two service chiefs – the chief of defence staff from Kaduna State, and the chief of air staff from Kano State.’’
