Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended former President Muhammadu Buhari for his reaffirmation of loyalty to the party. 
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka in a statement issued yesterday, applauded the former president for swiftly clearing the air and putting distance to efforts by certain individuals to tacitly associate him with their nonplussed political choices. 
Recall that the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai had during an interview with BBC Hausa, claimed Buhari was among those he consulted before deciding to dump the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“I left the APC with his (Buhari) full knowledge. I visited him on a Friday and informed him of my decision to leave the party because I consult with him on all my matters,” he reportedly said.
But Buhari in a statement by his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, said he won’t turn his back on the ruling APC.
According to him, the former president has made clear that he would never turn his back on the party that gave him two terms of office and would do whatever he can to popularise it.
“I am an APC member and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularise the party by all means,” the statement quoted Buhari as saying.
The former president maintained that he had nothing but gratitude for the support the party gave him before and during his tenure as president.
However, Morka said Buhari’s unalloyed loyalty to the party has further reinforced his reputation of astute integrity and dignified elder statesman.
He said: “The former President’s unalloyed loyalty to our great party, the platform on which he was twice elected as President, has further reinforced his reputation of astute integrity and dignified elder statesman.
“We urge our teeming members to emulate President Buhari’s worthy example of loyalty and commitment to our great party.”

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