Dr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has rejected the claims made by Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura’s group that members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had ruled out defection and endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 elections.
Malami, speaking through his media aide, Muhammed Bello Doka, clarified that the CPC bloc, originally founded by former President Muhammadu Buhari, was the only legitimate authority to decide on matters regarding its stance on staying or leaving the APC, not Al-Makura’s group.
“When referring to the CPC bloc, it’s important to clarify who is being mentioned. Are we talking about individuals like Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Adamu Adamu, Bello Masari, and Faruku Adamu Aliyu—who just months ago were openly distancing themselves from Buhari in attempts to gain political relevance?” Malami questioned.
He dismissed their decisions as personal ambitions aimed at securing political benefits within the APC, with no real connection to the CPC bloc’s interests.
Addressing rumors about his own potential defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Malami dismissed the reports as baseless and unfounded.
“As a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, Malami cannot quietly defect to any party,” he said, adding that he remains a member of the APC while engaging in wide consultations with various political platforms. He further noted that discussions on defection or future political intentions would be premature at this stage.
Malami affirmed that he remained an active player in Nigerian politics and would announce his position when the time was right.
“He has the right to join any party and contest for any position in Kebbi State,” his aide added.
The comments come after Al-Makura, along with former Katsina governor Bello Masari, ex-Education Minister Alhaji Adamu Adamu, and 20 others, issued a statement following a meeting in which they reaffirmed their commitment to President Tinubu’s leadership and policies. The group emphasized that any rumors of defection or dissatisfaction among CPC members were false and misleading, asserting their continued loyalty to the APC.
Furthermore, during a recent visit by APC national chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, to former President Buhari in Kaduna, Buhari had stated that individuals had the right to join any political party they chose, reaffirming his neutral stance on the issue.