Tuggar Denies Supporting APC Governorship Candidate in Bauchi

The Tuggar Campaign Organisation has rejected claims that supporters of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, accepted the results of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Bauchi State. They also did not pledge support to the candidate, Muhammad Abubakar.

The organization insisted that no valid primary election took place in the state. Reports had said a group of supporters held a press conference to declare their backing for Mr Abubakar, a former governor of the state, who won the APC primary election in May ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, Mr Tuggar, through his media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, released a statement on Thursday. He said the campaign organization described the claims as completely false, misleading, and unauthorized.

The statement noted that the individuals speaking at the press conference admitted they did not represent Mr Tuggar and had no authority to make declarations on his behalf. "Their views are personal and cannot be presented as those of the ambassador or his supporters," Mr Abdulkadir stated. He urged media organizations to check their sources before publishing reports about the campaign.

No Valid Primary

The campaign organization reiterated its position on the party's selection process. They maintained that no valid APC governorship primary election occurred in Bauchi State. They dismissed the idea of a consensus candidate, stating that the arrangement did not include broad stakeholder engagement and lacked democratic merit.

"The so-called consensus was neither preceded by broad consultation nor based on the voluntary agreement of all aspirants and key stakeholders," the statement read. "It therefore cannot be regarded as a legitimate consensus under the principles of internal party democracy."

Mr Abdulkadir confirmed that Mr Tuggar is a loyal member of the APC. He is committed to following the party's constitution and the rule of law. He advised the press and the public to differentiate between the actions of self-appointed groups and official statements from the campaign team.

He also mentioned that Mr Tuggar’s political support base covers all 20 local government areas in Bauchi State. This support cannot be represented by a few unauthorized individuals.

Mr Tuggar’s response came after a press conference by a group in Bauchi State claiming to speak for him. They declared their support for the APC governorship candidate, Mr Abubakar.

The group’s leader, Aminu Abdullahi, claimed that as supporters of the former minister, they remain in the APC and are not planning to switch to another party in the state.

Like in many states, the APC primary in Bauchi State had a crowded field of notable political figures. This included Mr Abubakar, Mr Tuggar, and other influential stakeholders competing for the party's governorship ticket.

The former minister insisted that the outcome of the APC governorship primary that produced Mr Abubakar was surrounded by fraud.