* Bago asks members to work for party’s success in 2027 polls
Laleye Dipo in Minna
Following what appears to be a crack in the ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the formation of the Niger Rescue Movement, a group made up of prominent members of the party and the state leadership hurriedly held a stakeholders meeting at the weekend to reconcile all aggrieved members.
The aggrieved APC members, some of whom were former political office holders and those that lost the primary elections into various positions two weeks ago pulled out of the party and announced their intention to join the main opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
However, at the emergency stakeholders meeting at the Government House, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago charged all members to work for the success of the party in next year’s election.
“It is the duty of every member of APC in the state to serve as foot soldiers and campaign not only for themselves, but for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Bago said at the meeting.
He described the actions of some APC members in the state as “unacceptable”, saying: “As beneficiaries of the ruling party, no one should be seen trying to sabotage the party’s success.”
He urged all APC members in the state to work assiduously and as a team with sincerity of purpose and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the party and the overall wellbeing of citizens.
Bago, who admitted that “party primaries come with post primary crisis”, explained that “efforts are being made to reconcile with aggrieved members”, adding that: “The reconciliatory moves of the party is already yielding results.”
At the forum, Bago enumerated some achievements of his administration, describing them as “unprecedented” and reassured the people of more development.
Among those at the meeting were the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammad Idris, who said the meeting was among series of strategies evolved by the governor to sanitize the party and strive for its growth even as he emphasized the need to support President Tinubu for the remarkable work he has been doing.
However, the leader of the Niger Rescue Movement, Alhaji Mikel Al- Amin Emitosahi, at a different forum, said there is no going back in their decision to quit the APC, adding that they will work effortlessly to unseat Governor Bago in next year’s governorship election.
