Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation,
has criticised chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for taking
turns to endorse President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Malami spoke during a meeting organised by the National
Political Consultative Group (North) in Abuja on Sunday.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Peter Obi,
presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023; Chibuike Amaechi, former
governor of Rivers state; were among opposition leaders who attended the
meeting.
The gathering was one in a series of consultative events by
opposition leaders seeking to forge a coalition against Tinubu.
In his keynote address, the ex-AGF said Tinubu’s policies
are crippling the economy of northern Nigeria.
Malami said rather than address the myriad challenges
bedevilling the country, endorsing Tinubu for a second term in office has taken
centre stage in the ruling party.
“Just a few days ago, the ruling party held its national
summit and instead of addressing the serious issues of insecurity, economic
hardship and rising poverty, it chose to focus on politics, endorsing President
Bola Tinubu as sole candidate for the 2027 election that is still two years
away,” Malami was quoted as saying by THISDAY.
The former AGF urged stakeholders to form a united front to
“reclaim” the country and create a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
On May 22, the APC held a national summit in Abuja, which
was attended by party stakeholders, including Tinubu and Shettima.
At the summit, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF)
formally endorsed Tinubu as the sole candidate of the APC for the 2027
election.
Malami served as attorney-general of the federation from
2015 to 2023 under the APC-led administration of former President Muhammadu
Buhari.
Recently, Malami and some members of the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC) bloc of the APC have expressed dissatisfaction with
the activities of the ruling party.
COMMUNIQUE
A communique signed by Babachir Lawal, former secretary to
the government of the federation (SGF), said delegates at the meeting agreed
that the north must present a united front for future elections.
The group also resolved that the political platform on which
the interest of the north would be pursued should be named.
“Delegates resolved that the north must proceed with a
united front in political choice going forward to ensure the region gets its
maximum return in national political participation,” the communique reads.
“That the region and, indeed, the nation need selfless
leaders both in the management of political parties as well as public sector
governance.
“Decried the impunity of elected leaders who run away with
the peoples mandate by purporting to make decisions for their constituents
without consultation, citing the recent developments in which elected governors
and legislators are usurping the power of the people by endorsing other persons
and themselves for re-election to political offices without reference to their
constituents, advising that constituents should sanction such elected officials
to serve as deterrent.
“Agreed on the need to escalate the group’s initiative to
all the 19 states and FCT though the provision of the appropriate template.
“Resolved that the region must prioritise and promote
industrialisation and high productivity in all sectors in order to exit the
present economic quagmire.
“That, going forward, the north must premise its support for
candidates at elections on enforceable agreement for the purpose of ensuring
and protecting the informed interests of the region, irrespective of where the
candidates come from.”
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