Group Cautions Nasarawa APC Chairman Over Blaming Al-Makura for Defections, Points to Flawed Primaries

The internal crisis threatening the stability of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State has taken a new turn, with a prominent pressure group, Nasarawa Vanguard, warning the state party leadership against scapegoating former Governor Tanko Al-Makura over recent mass defections.

The caution was issued following reports that the state APC Chairman, Aliyu Bello, planned to orchestrate protests against Al-Makura, accusing the former governor and federal lawmaker of secretly encouraging party members to jump ship to the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Reacting sharply to the move, the Nasarawa Vanguard dismissed the allegations as baseless distractions, stating that blaming Al-Makura completely misses the root cause of the party’s hemorrhage. The group pointed out that the steady wave of high-profile exits which recently saw four state lawmakers, including Mohammed Omadefu, Isimbabi Garba, Kudu Ajegana, and Inarigu Kana, abandon the ruling party is the direct consequence of internal discontent.

According to the group, the core trigger of the defections was the deeply flawed governorship primary, which locked out key aspirants and left ordinary party loyalists feeling sidelined without any genuine platform for democratic participation.

“The wave of defections from the Nasarawa APC has nothing to do with any behind-the-scenes support from Al-Makura,” the group stated. “The real cause is the flawed primary process, which alienated stakeholders who deserved a fair playing field.”

Defending Al-Makura’s political integrity, the association reminded party executives of his foundational role in building the progressive fold, noting that he emerged from the legacy Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc and played an instrumental role in the 2013 merger that birthed the APC. The group further emphasized Al-Makura’s steady working relationship with President Bola Tinubu, highlighting that he remains an integral stakeholder of the administration.

The Nasarawa Vanguard urged the state leadership to shelve diversionary confrontations and instead channel its energy toward genuine reconciliation, robust stakeholder engagement, and addressing the systemic grievances tearing the party apart at the grassroots level.