The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue South Senatorial District has distanced itself from the purported endorsement of the Senate Minority Leader and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senatorial candidate, Abba Moro, for the 2027 election.

The party said it remained committed to its senatorial candidate, Dr Francis Ottah Agbo, insisting that it had no alliance with the PDP in Benue South.

The APC was reacting to a banner bearing the name and identity of the party in Benue South, which was reportedly displayed at the flag-off of Moro’s 2027 senatorial campaign.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the APC Zonal Chairman for Benue South, Hon. Job Onum, described the development as an attempt to create the impression that members of the ruling party had endorsed Moro.

Onum said the banner, alongside comments purportedly suggesting support for “Tinubu and Moro” at the event, did not represent the position of the APC leadership in the senatorial district.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the APC in Benue South has no alliance with the PDP and has not endorsed Senator Abba Moro.

“The APC has its candidate, Dr. Francis Ottah Agbo, and our political direction is clear, Tinubu for President, Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia for Governor and Dr Francis Ottah Agbo for the Senate,” the statement said.

The party described the development as a “show of shame” and an act of political desperation aimed at misleading voters in Benue South.

According to Onum, it was unacceptable for anyone attending a PDP campaign event to display APC identity in a manner capable of creating the impression that the ruling party had endorsed Moro.

“This is not an endorsement. It is a shameless show of desperation,” he said.

The APC also questioned why its identity was allegedly displayed at a PDP campaign event despite claims over the years that Benue South, also known as Zone C, was a stronghold of the opposition party.

“After years of claiming that Zone C belongs to the PDP, why the sudden desperation to display APC identity at a PDP campaign event?

“The answer is obvious, it is an attempt to create an illusion of cross-party acceptance that does not exist.

“Let it therefore be stated clearly, Benue South APC is not PDP. APC has not endorsed Abba Moro, APC has its own candidate, and Benue South APC cannot be enticed back to Egypt,” Onum added.

The party urged its members to remain calm and disregard what it described as attempts to confuse them through banners, photographs or political theatrics.

It reiterated its support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Hyacinth Alia and Ottah Agbo ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The APC in Benue South remains united, focused and resolute.

“We will not be deceived. We will not be distracted. And we will not go back to Egypt,” the statement added.

The Kano State Government has ruled out the closure or postponement of school resumption over the ongoing outbreak of diphtheria in the state.

The government said the current situation does not warrant keeping children away from school, adding that schools would resume as scheduled.

The spokesperson for the state Ministry of Health, Nabilus Kofar-Naisa, said schools would reopen as scheduled despite decisions by some states, including Plateau, to postpone resumption over concerns about the disease.

Kofar-Naisa urged parents to ensure that suspected cases were promptly taken to health facilities for treatment and to closely monitor their children for symptoms of diphtheria.

He said, “Children showing symptoms should not be allowed to mix with others until they have received appropriate medical attention.”

The spokesperson explained that while neighbouring states had opted to postpone school resumption because of the outbreak, Kano would proceed with its resumption plans based on the current situation and rate of diphtheria infections in the state.

He urged parents to keep a close watch on their children and ensure that anyone showing symptoms of the disease was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment and kept away from other children until medically cleared.