From John Adams, Minna
The 27 members of the Niger State House of Assembly have dismissed reports that 15 of them are planning to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) following their failure to secure return tickets for the 2027 elections.
The lawmakers, including the 15 affected members, pledged their continued loyalty to the APC, Governor Mohammed Umar Bago and President Bola Tinubu ahead of the general election.
Reports had suggested that the 15 lawmakers, dubbed the “G-15,” were considering defecting to opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after losing out in the APC primaries and consensus arrangements.
But addressing journalists in Minna on Tuesday shortly before plenary, Speaker of the House, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, who was flanked by other lawmakers, described the reports as baseless and politically motivated.
He said the G-15 had resolved to put the outcome of the party’s nomination process behind them and work for the APC’s victory in the forthcoming elections.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we are all here together today as one family, as members of the 10th Assembly and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress,” Sarkindaji said.
“I want to make it very clear that there is no such move by any member of this Assembly to defect from the APC to any opposition party.
“You can see for yourselves that the 27 members are here. We have interacted with each other; we have investigated if there is anyone among us who, behind the scenes, is working out something with the opposition, and we found none.”
The Speaker said the lawmakers remained united behind the APC and its candidates.
“We members of this Assembly are one united family. We are behind APC, we are for APC and will continue to be for APC.
“We are for our governor, Mohammed Umar Bago; we are for our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for 2027,” he said.
Sarkindaji also welcomed Tinubu’s appointment of Bago as North-Central Zonal Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council, pledging the lawmakers’ support for the governor.
“We want the President to know that we are behind the governor and we will give him the necessary support.
“He is going to deliver the six states in the geopolitical zone to APC come the 2027 general election,” the Speaker said.
Speaking on behalf of the G-15, Mohammed A. Haruna confirmed that the group comprised lawmakers who failed to secure tickets in the party’s nomination process but insisted that they had no reason to leave the APC.
“As the Speaker has stated, we have resolved to remain one united big family in support of our party, governor and Mr. President to make sure that we deliver the party along with the candidates from the top to the bottom.”
Haruna dismissed reports of impending defections as unfounded.
“Any rumour that is spreading anywhere is immaterial at this time. We are united. We have not lost any member to any party or opposition. We will conquer and we will deliver in 2027,” he said.
The post 27 Niger lawmakers debunk defection rumour, back Bago, Tinubu appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
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