2027: Gov Sule Declares Support for Tinubu

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, yesterday condemned the North-Central APC Forum for describing his position on the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu as a double game.

In a statement issued by the Chairman of the Forum, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, alleged that Governor Sule was playing politics with his loyalty to Tinubu and the party.

However, condemning the allegations, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Addra, refuted the claims, noting that the statement issued by Zazzaga is riddled in inaccuracies and misrepresentations.

He faulted the Forum for attempting to pitch Governor Sule against his predecessor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, adding that both leaders have worked collaboratively to redefine governance under the umbrella of the APC in Nasarawa State and beyond.

He said: “Governor Sule has consistently demonstrated his commitment to President Tinubu’s administration since its inception. His recent remarks at the event organized by the ALGON in Nasarawa State and friends of the new SGS, Dr. Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, were neither a contradiction of the efforts of those encouraging all the former CPC members to remain in APC nor an endorsement of division. Rather, the governor’s reference to former President Muhammadu Buhari as the undisputed and symbolic leader of the defunct CPC bloc was a historical fact, not a political slight.

“So, His Excellency, Governor Sule is neither a favor seeker nor want any recognition from anyone. If the writer now claims that former President Buhari is not the undisputed leader of the CPC bloc in APC, he then owes the public and loyal party members a duty to clarify or justify same rather than beating around the bush.

“It is public knowledge that Buhari, as the founder of the CPC, remains a respected figure whose influence transcends factions.

“Governor Sule’s call for unity, including his appeal to former AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to remain in the APC, was a strategic push to consolidate all legacy blocs under the APC umbrella. This aligns perfectly with President Tinubu’s vision of a broad-based and inclusive party. To insinuate that Governor Sule is ‘against’ Tinubu because he acknowledged Buhari’s historical role is not only illogical but a deliberate distortion of context.”

He added: “Governor Sule’s statement that ‘only President Buhari can truly decide for the CPC’ was a pragmatic recognition of the former president’s unique position as the bloc’s founder. To claim otherwise is to ignore the nuance of intra-party dynamics. This is a fact known by those who understand how CPC was formed.

“The governor’s focus remains ensuring that all factions, including those loyal to President Buhari, remain firmly within the APC fold, a goal that directly benefits APC.

“The Forum’s allegation that Governor Sule ‘opposed’ President Tinubu’s tax reforms is a gross misrepresentation and lacking knowledge of happenings in the country. Governor Sule only defended the position of the Northern Governors and Traditional Rulers and thank God that both the president and the National Assembly accepted the position of the Northern Governors. Those who are competent to understand what really happened are full of praise for the governor and his colleagues. To attract investment to Nasarawa State, His Excellency has always supported policies that stimulate economic growth which is in line with President Tinubu’s long-term vision.”