Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has cautioned opposition leaders against attempting to lure former President Muhammadu Buhari into any coalition aimed at unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.
Recent reports have hinted at the possibility of a new coalition involving the defunct Congress for Progressive Change bloc and former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is said to be nursing ambitions of leading an anti-Tinubu movement in the run-up to the next general election.
However, Governor Sule, speaking in Lafia on Friday during a grand reception organised by the 13 local government council chairmen of Nasarawa State in honour of the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government, Labaran Magaji, dismissed such speculation. He stressed that Buhari, a founding father of the APC and symbol of the CPC legacy, would not join any opposition alliance because of the notable achievements recorded under President Bola Tinubu since assuming office in 2023.
“There is nothing like taking CPC away. There is only one person in this world that can decide for the CPC, and that is our father, Muhammadu Buhari. Nobody speaks of the CPC more than this man. The day he says CPC is with you, then CPC is with you.
“The day he says CPC is not with you, it is not with you. Because he is the CPC himself. He keeps carrying his 12 million voters along with him everywhere he goes, so he is also not going anywhere.
“That was why we went to see him in Kaduna, and we said ‘Baba, you are not going anywhere. We are going to be in this house (APC) together so that we will continue to build our house,’” Sule said.
He also charged the newly appointed SSG, who previously served as the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, to maintain diligence and uprightness in his new role. The governor praised the 13 council chairmen, along with Magaji’s friends and associates, for putting the event together in recognition of the SSG’s track record.
Sule added that the gathering, which brought together political leaders, legal professionals, women and youth groups, traditional rulers, and religious figures, was an opportunity to further promote peace and unity among the various ethnic groups in the state.
Delivering his remarks as chairman of the occasion, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, lauded Magaji’s legacy during his tenure as the state’s Attorney General. He highlighted the legal reforms initiated under Magaji’s leadership, which accelerated the resolution of criminal cases and introduced alternative sentencing measures to decongest correctional facilities.
Malami said, “His advocacy for alternative sentencing to decongest prisons and his efforts to restore the authority of Area Court Judges to preside over criminal cases brought justice closer to the people, particularly the underprivileged in rural communities.
“He has set a high standard for public service in Nasarawa State. Labaran is indeed a leader for a new era. He brings his wealth of experience for good governance. This appointment is therefore a resounding testament to his outstanding credentials.”
Also speaking, the state chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Safiyanu Andaha, described Magaji as a man of pedigree with vast experience in both politics and public administration at state and national levels.
“ALGON wishes to commend His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule, for selecting the celebrant among many other competent Nasarawa State indigenes. This reception was organised as a mark of solidarity with the celebrant because he has proven himself as a people-oriented public servant,” Andaha stated.
In his vote of thanks, Magaji expressed deep appreciation to all who honoured him with their presence despite busy schedules and assured that he would remain committed and diligent in the discharge of his duties as Secretary to the State Government.
