All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain Farouk Aliyu has dismissed speculation about the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc’s departure from the ruling party, arguing that the faction no longer exists as a separate entity within the APC.
Reports suggest that the CPC bloc, which merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other parties to form the APC in 2014, has grown dissatisfied with the current state of national affairs. Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is widely regarded as the custodian of the CPC bloc within the APC, and his departure could potentially take the bloc’s support base to emerging opposition coalitions.
Speaking during an Arise TV interview, Aliyu challenged the notion that a distinct CPC bloc still operates within the APC. “Majority of the CPC bloc are happy. I am one of the founding members of CPC; the El-Rufai you spoke about joined us,” he stated.
The APC chieftain emphasized the continued loyalty of CPC members to former President Muhammadu Buhari. “I am a Buhari person, and then Buhari is our leader. Buhari has not said he is not part of this government. So why is anybody talking about Buhari or CPC and so on? CPC is dead and buried; there is no CPC anymore; it’s all APC, and we are all APC,” he stated categorically.
He also addressed the El-Rufai’s decision to work against President Tinubu in 2027, Aliyu attributed the former governor’s dissatisfaction to personal disappointment over ministerial appointments. “They have the right to choose whatever they want to do. El-Rufai has the right to feel aggrieved that he’s not made a minister. That’s okay. That’s his choice,” he said.
The party chieftain characterized El-Rufai’s position as stemming from unmet expectations. “So if you look at it, then it is a matter of personal entitlement. He has done a lot for Tinubu; he’s not compensated. So he’s angry. That’s all right; it’s his opinion. But there are so many other people that have also contributed in one way or the other to bring Tinubu into government, but they didn’t get anything, and they are not complaining,” he observed.
He praised the dedication of lesser-known party supporters. “Some of them, we don’t even know them in our various villages, that have done everything possible to bring the government,” Aliyu noted.
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