Northern Group Warns APC Over Quashing Tinubu’s Power

APC’s National leader, Bola Tinubu

A Northern group, Patriotic Northern Coalition for Justice has reacted to reports of a brewing crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over an alleged battle for the 2019 presidency.

The battle which is purported to be between forces in the party loyal to former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and supporters of the former vice president Atiku Abubakar has been dubbed to be a key factor behind the present turmoil in the party.

Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna, the national coordinator of the coalition, Alhaji Babangida Sule Jnr, condemned moves by some people to form a caucus in APC.

Sule however warned the leadership in the APC to be wary of those members plotting to undermine the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu.

According to him, Tinubu remains the bedrock of the APC; hence any plot against his interest would be counter-productive, Daily Post reports.

He said: “Politicians are already strategizing for 2019 and they will stop at nothing to achieve their aim. Some of them are in APC and we have uncovered that part of their aims is to undermine the party’s chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because they see him as a stumbling block.

“But we the Patriotic Northern Coalition won’t allow them because we are still grateful to Tinubu for what he has done for the North in the 2015 general elections, particularly his efforts in the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We know that many people played crucial roles in the emergence of Buhari, but Tinubu tops them all.

“Personally, I know of the many times he came to Kaduna to meet with Buhari and assured him that he would do all he could to support him and ensure his victory.

“I know all these things because I was part of the groups that met with him on several occasions, including some APC governors. Again, in order to ensure Buhari’s victory at the primaries, he used his influence to move the convention from Abuja to Lagos.

“We know what happened after that and at the final election. So, we won’t allow anybody or group of persons to plan anything against his interest in APC. Besides, such plot will be counter-productive because Tinubu is an influential APC chieftain that commands respect in his region and some other regions.

“Moreover, any crisis in the APC today will be harmful to the nation because APC is the ruling party and whatever affects it can easily impact negatively on the nation”.

Sule also warned the APC and its leadership not to underrate the PDP.

Meanwhile, the first lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari has revealed that Bola Tinubu ‘wooed’ her into campaigning for her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari prior to the election period.