Former chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change have reaffirmed their loyalty to President Bola Tinubu, pledging support for his re-election in 2027.

At a meeting in Abuja, the former CPC leaders described the formation of the APC as a “great achievement” and commended Mr. Tinubu’s leadership since he assumed office in May 2023.

Former Governor Umaru Al-Makura stated that the Tinubu-led administration is growing the economy beyond expectations. He urged members to begin grassroots mobilisation to ensure the president’s victory in the 2027 elections.

Mr Al-Makura praised the organisers for reviving the spirit of commitment, loyalty, and perseverance with which the CPC was founded, calling Mr Tinubu a leader “properly and fully prepared” to lead the country.

While acknowledging the initial challenges faced by the administration, he expressed optimism about the nation’s future and charged members to return to their constituencies to galvanise support for the president.

“It is left to us now to ensure that we galvanise support in our various constituencies to ensure the success of President Tinubu come 2027,” he said.

He added that the steering committee would soon convene a meeting of all state chapters to develop a common framework for early campaign mobilisation.

Former speaker of the House of Representatives, ex-Governor Aminu Masari, said Mr Tinubu deserved re-election to consolidate the ongoing economic reforms.

Mr Masari praised the president’s “capacity, determination, and courage” in confronting Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges, saying true leadership is best demonstrated in difficult times.

“Leaders are better known during tough times. When it is rosy, everybody is a champion. But when it is tough, it is only the tough who get gold. You can see toughness and commitment in Tinubu,” the former Katsina governor said.

He explained that the president’s policies were clear and aimed at preventing the country’s economic collapse.

Also speaking, former APC national secretary, Waziri Bulama, commended the leadership of past CPC officials and reaffirmed the ideological foundation of the merger that produced the APC.

He described the APC as a “great achievement” for being a national, principled party that has earned Nigerians’ trust by winning three consecutive presidential elections.

Former director-general of the Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, lauded members for their loyalty over the past 23 years, often without political appointments. He urged them to “keep the faith” and support the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, which he said had long benefited a few at the expense of the majority.

Mr Okechukwu noted that state governors were now the primary beneficiaries of the higher federal allocations from the policy, stressing that the APC must deliver on its promises to the people.

The meeting was seen as a strong show of solidarity from a key legacy bloc within the ruling party, reaffirming their support for the Tinubu administration and early preparations for the 2027 elections.

The CPC merged with other political parties in 2013 to form the APC, which subsequently won the 2015 presidential election.

(NAN)