Ahead of the 2027 general election, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has advised opposition political party leaders in the country to desist from wooing the former President Muhamadu Buhari to join their coalition aimed at defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress during the elections.
Recently, there had been insinuations in some quarters that the defunct Congress for Progressives Change bloc could team up with former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, whose quest is to lead a movement against President Bola Tinubu and the APC in 2027.
Sule gave the advice in Lafia, the state capital, on Friday during a grand reception organised by the chairmen of the 13 local government areas of the state in honour of the Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Labaran Magaji, who was recently appointed to occupy the position.
The governor emphasised that Buhari, one of the founding fathers of the APC, and other members of the defunct CPC will not join the planned coalition against Tinubu because of the numerous achievements he had recorded since his emergence of office in 2023.
“There is nothing like taking CPC away. There is only one person in this world that can decide for the CPC, and that is our father, Muhammadu Buhari. Nobody speaks of the CPC more than this man. The day he says CPC is with you, then CPC is with you.
“The day he says CPC is not with you, it is not with you. Because he is the CPC himself. He keeps carrying his 12million voters along with him everywhere he goes, so he is also not going anywhere.
“That was why we went to see him in Kaduna, and we said ‘Baba, you are not going anywhere. We are going to be in this house (APC) together so that we will continue to build our house,’” Sule explained.
While urging the newly appointed SSG, who is the immediate-past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state to continue to be upright and diligent in the discharge of his duties, the governor commended the 13 council chairmen, and the SSG’s friends and associates for organising the ceremony.
The governor further noted that the gathering which had top politicians, lawyers, women and youth groups, traditional and religious leaders, among others would greatly help in complimenting the efforts of his administration to promote peace and unity among the various ethnic groups in the state.
On his part, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who was the chairman of the occasion, commended the SSG for the roles he played in his previous appointment as the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice where he championed several legal reforms.
He mentioned the reforms to include initiatives to fast-track justice delivery, enabling certain criminal cases to be resolved within four weeks, among others which he said are unprecedented in the landscape where criminal cases were being prosecuted for decades.
He added, “His advocacy for alternative sentencing to decongest prisons and his efforts to restore the authority of Area Court Judges to preside over criminal cases brought justice closer to the people particularly the underprivileged in rural communities.
“He has set a high standard for public service in Nasarawa State. Labaran is indeed a leader for a new era. He brings his wealth of experience for good governance. This appointment is therefore a resounding testament to his outstanding credentials.”
Also speaking, the state chairman of the Association of Local Governments Of Nigeria, Safiyanu Andaha, described Magaji as a man with pedigree who is well experienced in politics and public administration both at the state and national levels.
“ALGON wishes to commend His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule for selecting the celebrant among many other competent Nasarawa State indigenes. This reception was organised as a mark of solidarity with the celebrant because he has proven himself as a people-oriented public servant,” he said.
In his vote of thanks, Magaji appreciated everyone who attended the ceremony despite their busy schedules, and promised to remain diligent and committed in the discharge of his duties.