Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has firmly denied reports suggesting that he criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that his recent comments were misrepresented and taken out of context amid growing political tensions within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister moved to quell speculation of a rift with the President, declaring his unwavering loyalty to Tinubu and reaffirming his commitment to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The clarification follows widespread reactions to a Hausa-language interview in which Tuggar discussed internal political developments in Bauchi State. Portions of the interview circulated on social media and were interpreted by some observers as criticism of the President, a claim the minister has now categorically rejected.
“Our attention has been drawn to various interpretations and misrepresentations of remarks made by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs during a recent interview conducted in the Hausa language,” the statement said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Ambassador Tuggar did not criticize or question President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in any way. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and a deliberate distortion of his remarks.”
Instead, Tuggar said his comments focused on concerns surrounding internal party democracy and candidate selection within the APC in Bauchi State, where political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 governorship election is already gathering momentum.
At the centre of the controversy is an apparent disagreement over how the ruling party should manage its governorship nomination process in the state.
The former foreign affairs minister expressed reservations about what he described as attempts by Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to influence the emergence of the APC’s governorship candidate rather than allowing aspirants to test their popularity through an open contest before party delegates.
According to Tuggar, the strength and future of the APC depend on transparent, competitive, and credible internal elections that give party members the freedom to determine their preferred candidates.
He argued that every aspirant interested in contesting should be afforded a level playing field and an opportunity to seek the support of party delegates without undue interference.
The minister also pointed to President Tinubu’s directive requiring political appointees seeking elective office to resign within the stipulated period, maintaining that any individual interested in contesting for political office remains free to comply with the directive and pursue his ambition through established party procedures.
Despite the growing debate, Tuggar stressed that his intervention was motivated by a desire to strengthen rather than divide the APC.
He warned that unresolved grievances and perceptions of unfairness could undermine party cohesion, urging the national leadership of the APC to address concerns raised by stakeholders and reinforce the principles of justice, inclusion, and internal democracy.
Political observers view the statement as an attempt to draw a clear distinction between support for President Tinubu and disagreements over local party politics, particularly as competition intensifies among influential figures seeking to shape the APC’s future in Bauchi State.
The development underscores the increasingly delicate balancing act facing the ruling party as it seeks to maintain unity while managing competing ambitions ahead of the next electoral cycle.
With the 2027 elections still months away, political alignments are already taking shape across several states, and Bauchi has emerged as one of the key battlegrounds where the APC hopes to strengthen its position.
