Former President Muhammadu Buhari has advised the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) members to adopt a citizen-centric approach, saying he is still an All Progressive Congress (APC) member.
Buhari said leadership presents both a challenge and an opportunity and that balancing the two would significantly advance national progress.
The former president stated this against the backdrop of a recent visit by APC governors to him in Kaduna.
LEADERSHIP had reported exclusively that the governors pleaded with the former president not to abandon the party.
In a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, the former president expressed confidence in the progress being made by the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reiterated his call for continued dedication to the nation’s progress.
He also said leaders should prioritise the welfare of the people, not themselves, offering his personal example of leaving office with the same physical assets he had before his presidency.
He thanked the Tinubu administration for renovating his home in Kaduna, explaining that while the building looked the same externally, so much improvement was made inside.
He thanked the governors for the visit, saying that while he had worked with several of them, others were new to him.
The statement recounts the outcome of the recent meeting between the former president and the APC governors.
Reflecting the position of the governors at the meeting, the statement quoted the chairman of the PGF, Imo state Governor Hope Uzodinma, as saying that they came to greet the former President on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr and “convey our heartfelt expression of gratitude and enduring respect for your immense contributions to Nigeria’s democracy and strengthening our party.
“Many of us pride fully recall your principled role in founding the APC. That legacy continues to shape our party’s identity direction.
“We are especially gratified, only a few weeks ago, to hear your public affirmation that the APC remains your party of choice. That declaration could not have come at a better time. It reaffirmed your place as a pillar of our movement and reassured our party’s members. Mr President, you are pan-Nigerian.
“Your Excellency, your legacy in Nigerian history is secure. You remain the only opposition candidate in our nation’s history to have defeated an incumbent. You did not only win power; you governed with calm resolve and handed over, with honour, to another APC president. For this, we are incredibly grateful.
“Your administration expressed our party’s core principles through your focus on security, economic recovery, and anti-corruption. Your efforts reclaimed territory from insurgents and extended social investment programs like the Conditional Cash Transfer and School Feeding Program. They ushered in a road and rail revolution that is still bearing fruit.
“Programs such as the Anchor Borrowers Scheme directly impacted food security. You taught us to produce what we eat and eat what we make. You brought dignity to governance and deepened the progressive ethos of our party.
“Today, APC is being renewed and repositioned under your worthy successor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. His leadership is bold, reform-driven, and unshakably committed to progress. Your public endorsement of him in your recent birthday message was a powerful symbol of continuity and humility.
“Your Excellency, today we honor you not just for your past service but for the enduring values you represent.
We ask you to continue to support and guide us as we take the next steps to deepen progressive politics across the nation and ensure that the APC continues to be in power for a more prosperous Nigeria,” he said.
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