The All Progressives Congress (APC) has praised former President Muhammadu Buhari over what it called his “solid reaffirmation of loyalty to our great party”.

 

On March 13, the former president stated that he remains a committed member of the ruling party.

 

In the statement signed by Garba Shehu, Buhari said he would never turn his back on the ruling party that gave him the platform to become the country’s president.

 

“I am an APC member, and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularise the party by all means,” Buhari was quoted to have said.

The statement came hours after Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, said he consulted Buhari before resigning from his membership in the APC.

On March 10, el-Rufai announced that he had joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

 

 

Speaking in an interview on BBC Hausa, el-Rufai said he does not make a major decision without first consulting Buhari.

“There are certain people that before I do any major thing or make any decision I consult, and anything they ask me not to do, I don’t do, and former President Muhammadu Buhari is among them,” el-Rufai said in Hausa.

 

Reacting to Buhari’s statement of commitment, Felix Morka, the APC spokesperson, commended the former president for “putting distance to efforts by certain individuals to tacitly associate him with their nonplussed political choices”.

 

Morka said Buhari’s reaffirmation of his loyalty to APC “reinforced his reputation of astute integrity and dignified elder statesman”.

 

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) greets and commends former President Muhammadu Buhari for his solid reaffirmation of loyalty to our great party,” Morka said in a statement issued on Saturday.

 

“We applaud the former president for swiftly clearing the air and putting distance to efforts by certain individuals to tacitly associate him with their nonplussed political choices.

 

“The former president’s unalloyed loyalty to our great party, the platform on which he was twice elected as president, has further reinforced his reputation of astitute integrity and dignified elder statesman.

 

“We urge our teeming members to emulate President Buhari’s worthy example of loyalty and commitment to our great party.”