APC blasts Atiku and calls for resignation of Mama Taraba

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Jumai Alhassan over what it tagged her ‎‘derogatory remarks’ against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Alhassan, famously known as Mama Taraba, has been under fire following her recent comment that she would support former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar even if President Buhari opted to contest in 2019. She had said, “And again, Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019.

“Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that ‘Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba just like you know I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku said he is going to contest.”

Reacting to her assertion, while fielding questions from newsmen at the APC national secretariat Abuja on Friday, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Vice Chairman, Northwest zone, Inuwa Abdukadir, said Alhassan’s comment was crude. “She must resign over her derogatory comment against the person and office of President Buhari. It is very obvious that she is beginning to bite the finger that is feeding her,” he said.

Reacting to Atiku’s claim that he was abandoned after he brought the APC to power, Abdukadir described the former vice president as a liar and blackmailer, labeling his attack on President Muhammadu Buhari and the party as ‘misleading.’

He said: “Atiku Abubakar is a very important member of this party. He is one of the leaders of this party and I have no doubt about his contribution to building this party. He has also added value by his personality during the last election.

“People of such standing and reckoning in this country, particularly being a former vice president of this great nation, he has attained the position of a statesman and what we expect from him is nothing less than that. By virtue of his former office and his age, he is qualified to be a statesman.

“But when you reach that status and age there are certain things you have to come to terms with, most important of which is to exhibit a high sense of decorum in your conduct. What I mean is that you have to guard what you say, how you say it and when you say it because what is expected of you as a statesman is nothing but factual.

“Secondly, majority of the people look up to you to provide leadership in the sense that from what you say people can learn a lot. “Of recent Atiku has made some statements to the effect that or created an impression of the failure of the party and President Muhammadu Buhari-led government. 

At that level, good party members, especially of his status should not be seen to be making such public statements even if those criticisms are factual, whereas in this case some of these statements were misleading and incorrect.”