By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
A former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has been urged to clarify his membership status of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after losing his bid to secure the gubernatorial ticket of the party.
The demand was made by Pate Youth Ambassadors Initiatives (PYI), together with concerned All Progressives Congress (APC) youths in Bauchi State, through the Director General of PYI, Prince Mohammed Sani Hassan, in a statement he signed and made available to Journalists on Friday.
Yusuf Maitama Tuggar was called to publicly clarify his position regarding the recent activities of some of his supporters against the party.
Recall that over the past few weeks, many individuals believed to be loyal to Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar have openly criticized the party on social media and, in some cases, addressed press conferences against the APC and its governorship flag bearer for the 2027 election, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN.
He stressed, “As committed members of the APC, we are concerned by these developments and therefore seek clarification from the former Minister. We would like to know whether he remains committed to the APC and its ideals.”
He added, “If he is still a loyal member of the party, why has he not publicly cautioned his supporters against actions capable of causing division within the party? We also urge him to clearly state whether these activities are being carried out with his knowledge or approval.”
“We are also compelled to ask whether Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar is now opposed to the same APC that gave him the opportunity to serve Nigeria as Ambassador to Germany and later entrusted him with the responsibility of serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs,” he added.
He added that,”Simply because he did not secure the party’s governorship ticket. If this is not the case, then we respectfully urge him to publicly distance himself from any actions or statements capable of undermining the unity and progress of the party.”
The PYI stressed that,”It is important to note that the APC governorship primary election has come and gone. Now, is the time for reconciliation, unity, and collective efforts towards strengthening the party ahead of future elections. Any action capable of creating disunity only weakens the APC and its chances of success.”
According to him,”Ambassador Tuggar was not the only aspirant who contested for the APC governorship ticket. Other respected aspirants, including Dr. YY Abdullahi, Dr. Nuru Manu Soro, Dr. Bala Wunti, Alhaji Kabiru Baba Maaji, and Baba Suleiman, accepted the outcome of the primary election and have continued to contribute positively to the growth and progress of the party.”
He added that,”We are also concerned by reports that individuals such as Sanin Mallam and Shehu Barau Ningi, who are widely understood not to be members of the APC, are now being associated with Ambassador Tuggar’s political camp and are making statements critical of the APC and its leadership.”
“If these reports are inaccurate, we urge Ambassador Tuggar to clarify the situation. If they are accurate, we respectfully ask him to explain why individuals outside the APC appear to be playing prominent roles in matters affecting the unity of our party in Bauchi State,” he added.
According to him,”For these reasons, we respectfully call on Ambassador Tuggar to publicly clarify his position and reassure party members of his commitment to the unity, stability, and success of the APC in Bauchi State.”
The Pate Youth Ambassadors Initiatives assured that it remained committed to promoting peace, unity, and the victory of the APC in Bauchi State and across Nigeria.
