From Idris Khalid, Bauchi
The Tuggar Campaign Organisation has dismissed as false claims that supporters of Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar have defected to another governorship aspirant, describing the reports as a deliberate attempt to mislead members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the public.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Ambassador Tuggar’s special assistant on media, Mr. Alkasim Abdulkadir, the organisation described the claims as “False and misleading,” insisting that no member of the campaign had abandoned its support for the former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
According to the statement, the allegation was “A calculated act of political deception designed to manufacture a false narrative of momentum, mislead party members and distort the true state of affairs within the APC.”
The reaction followed a recent press conference by a group led by Musa Abdullahi, which claimed to be former supporters of Ambassador Tuggar and announced their endorsement of Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (SAN), an APC governorship candidate in Bauchi State, ahead of the 2027 general elections. The group made the declaration during a briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Bauchi.
The Tuggar Campaign Organisation argued that the deliberate dissemination of false information contravenes the spirit of the Electoral Act 2022, particularly Sections 92 and 95, which promote peaceful, responsible and issue-based campaigns.
“The APC deserves a contest defined by ideas, credibility and respect for the truth, not manufactured endorsements and media theatrics,” the statement said.
The organisation reaffirmed that it remains united and steadfast in its support for Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, stressing that no individual or group had been authorised to negotiate or announce support for any other aspirant on behalf of the campaign.
It urged all aspirants and their supporters to desist from spreading false information and to conduct their campaigns with honesty, integrity and respect for democratic principles.
“The pursuit of political ambition must never come at the expense of truth,” the statement added.
