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Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, whose group is currently withholding the original registration certificate of the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) that currently threatens registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political party, has said nobody can blackmail or coerce him into releasing the certificate.
This came, as he stated that if he had been approached in a civic and responsible manner, the whole saga over release of the certificate for smooth registration of the APC would have been over by now.
Senator Hanga, who recently declared in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that he was in possession of the CPC’s original certificate of registration, against the party’s position that the certificate was missing, as he spoke exclusively to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Monday and alleged that he was been bullied over the matter, but that the certificate, which he said was with him could never be released under threat.
He told the Nigerian Tribune that he supported the merger moves and was ready to do anything to make it work, but that “I refuse to be pushed aside just like that and be stampeded. Nobody can coerce me into submission.”
Reaffirming his support for the APC, he described the merger as coming in the interest of Nigerians, who needed change and said it was a good thing that the merger was coming at a time as this.
He challenged his party men, claiming he resigned at a time as chairman of the party to produce his resignation letter, as well as handover notes.
Hanga, who, together with his colleagues, has been in court challenging the leadership of the CPC while continuing to hold on to the CPC’s registration certificate, admitted there was pressure on his to resign at a time.
Reacting to the allegation that he stole the party’s certificate, he said “I didn’t steal the certificate; I never stole anything in my life and hasn’t stolen anything from anybody.”
He accused the former presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, of taking anything told him without asking questions and alleged that some party men were actually sabotaging the ambition of the former head of state.
He said “Buhari sits in his room and takes anything he is told, even when it is not true.
“I have soft-spot for Buhari, but they tell him anything and he takes it without asking question.
“He is suffering in their hands and that is why he contested for president and lost three times.
“It is impossible for the CPC to succeed with the kind of thing happening in the party. They are sabotaging him; they will never allow him to succeed and they are succeeding.
“I support the merger. Like I said earlier, I will do anything to make the merger possible, but I am adamant on proving that these people are fake. I have to prove that these people are fake, but I will do anything to make the merger possible. I said it and there is no going back.
“I refuse to be pushed aside just like that. They can’t blackmail me. They are trying to blackmail me into submission. Nobody can blackmail me into it. I refuse to be coerced.
“They want to push me. That is what they do; that is their nature. They are used to doing that. They blackmail people.
“They said I an working got PDP, how? It’s only an illiterate that will say I am working for PDP. They are the ones working for the PDP. That is the truth.
“I have not left the CPC. If they say I am not a member of the CPC, well, I am yet to see proof and you can’t expel me when you are still in court.
“We have the structure of the party. They are the faction, we are not. They are illegal, we are true leadership. I am not after clinging to leadership and I still mean it.
Source: Tribune
