Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara has said that the forthcoming 8th National Convention of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), will showcase the impact of Tinubu’s reforms, and offer an avenue for introspection on the party’s achievements.
He said this while speaking with ARISE NEWS on Friday.
“I think for us, it’s not just a convention. This is going to be our eighth national convention since the formation of the APC. So what would Nigerian citizens expect? I expect to see that there will be telling stories as to how this reformist president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—how his reforms have impacted a number of Nigerians. It will offer us the opportunity for a deeper, more introspection as to what APC has done,” he said.
Responding to concerns over alleged exclusion of aspirants, Hon. Dogara said such issues should be viewed within the internal framework of the APC.
“I believe whatever the situation is, it is a family issue and it should be resolved as such,” he stated.
On the adoption of the consensus model, he said it ensures legal compliance, fosters party unity, and allows adjustments for any procedural gaps.
“I believe that the party is perfectly in sync with the law by adopting the consensus model. However, as we begin to put it to practice, if there are issues that we need to address, we should be able to pick them up and address them.”
Speaking on Tinubu’s reforms, he highlighted NELFUND, key highways, and support for youth- and women-led businesses as tangible Tinubu achievements.
“Obviously, except if you are not Nigerian, you would have noticed the President’s critical intervention in certain areas. Whether we’re talking about issues relating to human development—especially what excites me as an individual is the intervention he brought by way of NELFUND.
“Look at the area of infrastructure as well, whether it is the coastal road highway he is doing, or the other one from Sokoto to Badagry. They are quite transformative in nature.
“When you look at what they have done in the area of funding enterprises, even businesses owned by the youth and women, I believe the narrative will begin to shift. There are so many telling stories that have not been told, and as we move towards 2027, you will hear these compelling stories and narratives,” Dogara said.
Dismissing claims of a plot to make President Tinubu the sole 2027 candidate, Dogara said the APC is not interfering with the opposition.
“I’ve seen that talking about shrinking the political space to accommodate just one person may not be the intention of the present government. I can’t see directly where anyone in the political party APC is being directly involved in messing up with the opposition. We cherish competition and we truly want to be held accountable, and you cannot be held accountable when you don’t have a viable opposition,” he shared.
Adding, Dogara clarified that party membership is officially recorded in the APC database, and the FCT Minister’s name does not appear there.
“For me, as far as I’m concerned, I have not seen Wike pick up a membership form in the APC. So sadly, he’s not a member of the political party.
“Membership is determined by the registration in the party’s database, and I can guarantee that if you check that database, you will not find the FCT Minister’s name there,” he added.
Hon. Dogara stressed that talented Nigerians should be given opportunities based on ability, regardless of party affiliation.
“Going forward, I believe that if opportunity is granted to a talented Nigerian, someone who has demonstrable capacity to perform in a particular field, he shouldn’t be restricted just on account of the fact that he’s not a member of the political party,” he urged.
The Former House of Reps Speaker also stated that he has no personal political ambitions beyond active participation.
“I guess I don’t have any personal ambition other than participation. For me as a person, I hate promoting myself, but I’m a man of faith; I will never go where God doesn’t lead me, I choose not to say,” he declared.
Speaking on speculation about the Bauchi State Governor potentially defecting to the APC, Dogara said the reports are unconfirmed.
“Well, as far as I’m concerned, that is a bit speculative. I’ve heard of the speculation; I don’t know how true it is. It is something that I believe if it were to be the case, we will sit down as party faithfuls to discuss. But that has not come up. Even if it happens, I believe that there will be some level of understanding.”
Dogara dismissed the bribery allegations against the Foreign Minister as largely baseless, describing them as speculative and politically motivated.
“I’ve read the allegation, and I think it’s to some extent ludicrous. People come up with allegations—who gave the money and for what purpose? At this level, it’s just within the realms of speculation. We want to see something credible and tangible before we talk about it. It’s okay to say someone has been bribed, but where is the evidence?,” he questioned.
Favour Odima.
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