By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The Tuggar Campaign Organization, has categorically dissociated itself from a group of people who declared allegiance and loyalty to the gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Bauchi State, Barr Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN.
The development is coming few days after some people who claimed to be supporters of the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, announced their allegiance and loyalty to Barr Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN.
The Tuggar Campaign Organisation while distancing itself from the group, described them as unknown faces in its midst.
The Campaign Organization therefore dismissed the reports claiming that supporters of Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar have accepted the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Bauchi State and pledged allegiance to the party’s candidate, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (SAN).
The denial was contained In a statement issued on Thursday by Ambassador Tuggar’s Special Assistant on Media, Alkasim Abdulkadir, made available to Journalists in Bauchi.
The organisation described the claims as false and inconsistent with its official position.
He wrote, “Our attention has been drawn to reports claiming that supporters of Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar have accepted the outcome of the APC governorship primary in Bauchi State and shifted their allegiance. This claim is false and does not represent the position of the Tuggar Campaign Organisation.”
The Tuggar Campaign Organisation said the individuals who addressed the press expressly admitted that they were not speaking on behalf of Ambassador Tuggar and lacked the authority to make declarations in his name.
It maintained that the views expressed by the group were personal and should not be interpreted as the position of Ambassador Tuggar or his supporters.
The organisation also reiterated its stance that no valid APC governorship primary election was conducted in Bauchi State.
According to the statement, the alleged consensus that produced the party’s candidate was neither preceded by broad consultations nor based on the voluntary agreement of all aspirants and key stakeholders.
“It therefore cannot be regarded as a legitimate consensus under the principles of internal party democracy,” the statement added.
The organisation further stated that Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar remains committed to the APC, its constitution and the rule of law.
It urged media organisations to distinguish between the views of self-appointed groups and the official position of the Tuggar Campaign Organisation.
“Ambassador Tuggar’s support base spans all 20 local government areas of Bauchi State and cannot be represented by a handful of individuals,” the statement added.
Recall that a group, led by one of Tuggar’s coordinators, Musa Abdullahi announced its decision during a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Bauchi on Tuesday.
Barr MA Abubakar, SAN
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