A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. George Agbakahi has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the befitting state burial accorded late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is is also as he described the opposition coalition as old wine in new bottle.
Agbakahi said the federal government’s efforts in sending a high powered delegation led by Vice President Kashim Shettima and his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila to bring the remains of the former president back home from London and the elaborate burial activities that culminated in the special federal executive council meeting in honour of the late president, demonstrated love, respect and honour which President Tinubu had for him.
The APC chieftain, who spoke in an Arise Television interview monitored by our reporter in Abuja, weekend, stated that it would be difficult to find a northern politician with the same aura, clout and influence to immediately replace president Buhari.
He stated that it will be difficult to find somebody with Buhari’s virtues which could be compared to that of Ahmadu Bello, the Sadauna of Sokoto, in terms of selflessness, honesty, trustworthiness, and mass appeal.
“In all honesty, the person that is close to President Buhari is Kwankwaso the former Gov of Kano state. The only difference is that his popularity is limited to Kano state just like we had Malam Aminu Kano, his own is limited to Kano state and of course some parts of Jigawa state,” he said.
According to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari is gone but I believe his legacies will still remain. I’m quite aware, just like other Nigerians, that President Buhari loved APC as one of the architects and pillars of the party, and there is no doubt that many of his followers will follow his footsteps
“Going back around 2013, 2014 during the formation of APC, I sincerely believe that President Buhari himself had a symbiotic relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I think his followers irrespective of what is happening currently in the political space, majority of his followers will still remain in APC and APC by God’s grace will still win the 2027 presidential election.”
Agbakahi, who is also South East leader of Tinubu Support Organization and member of 2023 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Media and Publicity Directorate, dismissed any purported threat from some opposition leaders like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna state Gov Malam El’Rufai, former Transport Minister, Chibuike Amaechi and others that coalesced into the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He insisted that majority of APC members in the North especially close confidants of former president Buhari, who are largely members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), are still in APC.
“Politics is all about interest and the CPC block of the APC you are talking about, there has not been any indication yet that they are departing from APC.
“I remember sometime in January or February this year, there were a bit of political skirmishes amongst members of the CPC block but eventually it was resolved amicably.
“I remember former governor of Nasarawa state, Sen Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, who to me is now the head of the CPC, he was able to reach out to the faction of the CPC that intended to move away and they did not move away. I don’t see them moving away.
“I heard the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika spoke a couple of days ago and he maintained that the CPC block will still remain and be part of APC so I don’t really see any division actually among the CPC block in respect of their continued stay in APC,” he remarked.
He stressed that the usual opposition sing-song about economic hardship will soon be a cliché as the bold policies of President Tinubu’s administration especially the removal of subsidy on petroleum products as well as exchange rate unification are already beginning to yield positive dividends.
He said that aside from other palliative measures to cushion the effect, government has also introduced initiatives that are human driven, like students’ loans, Compressed Natural God (CNG), Electric Vehicles (EV), Consumer Credit Corporation, Youth Empowerment programmes, incentives from Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, and low interest loans to farmers and SMEs respectively among other policies.
“The obliteration of the fuel subsidy as well as the unification of the exchange rate to me is one of the best things that have ever happened to this country.
“All these people you are talking about that they are in ADC starting from Atiku (Abubakar) onwards even Peter Obi, they all believed that the unification of the exchange rate as well as the extrication of the fuel subsidy is something that has to be done.
“Even President Muhammadu Buhari acceded to it although he was not able to get rid of it. But President Tinubu being a very courageous individual knows what it takes to get rid of this, particularly to create a sustainable economic growth and development, that’s why he was able to remove it. It was tough earlier but the policies, the initiatives are now coming in place, they are working.”
He also stressed that the coalition of 2015 is totally different from the current ADC coalition, noting that this time around, there is no clear leader or agenda and that the only known agenda is to oust President Tinubu from office, which he said the electorate will oppose vehemently.
“The coalition to me is like old wine in a new bottle. The members are essentially the same as before, but cynically presenting themselves as if they are new or innovative.
“The truth is that the core substance or essence of the coalition remains the same despite a change in nomenclature, presentation, and packaging.
“The ADC is surreptitiously trying to rebrand old, unreliable, and unpopular politicians who are household names with new initiatives and policies in order to make them look more appealing and marketable.
“But the million Naira question is what is their relevance in the current political landscape in Nigeria, and what are the strength and viability of the ADC coalition?” He queried.
Besides, the party chieftain stated that APC was not resting on her oars either, as it is also realigning and re-organising to reposition and strengthen the party structure with soon to be appointed substantive national chairman.
“The APC will still win this election particularly taking into consideration the track record of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the track record in Lagos, his track record as president of this country.
“The president has done a whole lot to improve the well-being of Nigerians. Most of the policies and initiatives that he has put in place, they are now working, we know it takes time; they are now working as we speak.
“There is no doubt with what is going on, the political realignment, the president and APC will win the election.
“Definitely there has to be realignment in APC that’s the truth, that’s why we are looking at who will take over as the national chairman of the party.
“The person that will take over as national chairman of the party has a prominent role to play in bringing the party together,” he further stated.
