The All Progressives Congress executives in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area (LGA) and the Ganduje ward Executive Committee members have faulted the purported suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, from the ruling party.
The party’s ward chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Koko said the purported suspension of the national chairman was announced by non-APC members in the ward.
Earlier in the day, APC ward in Ganduje announced the National Chairman’s suspension from the party. The ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery levelled against the former governor by the state government as the reason for the suspension.
Gwanzi said: “We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him”.
The state APC chapter, and working committee immediately suspended ward party leaders, who suspended Ganduje from the party.
The APC chapter in Dawakin Tofa LGA also thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind Ganduje’s suspension.
The Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told newsmen that those behind the suspension of the party’s national chairman were caught in anti-party activities, and their records of meetings with the opposition were exposed.
“Those who addressed the press conference were sponsored by the NNPP (New Nigeria People’s Party) state government, and from the record of the party at the Ward, Local Government and State, are not card-carrying members of the APC”, Koko said while addressing a press conference in Kano late Monday evening on behalf of the Ward and Local Government Executive Committee members.
He, therefore, said the purported suspension was null and void and would have no effect on the national chairman.
“The Ward and Local Government Executives, having identified the persons involved in this unfortunate situation, have already prepared to charge them to court for impersonation and calculated attempts to embarrass and dent the image of the Party and that of the National Chairman”, Koko added.
He called on all party members to disregard the purported suspension and remain calm.
Dawanau told newsmen that those behind the suspension of the party’s national chairman were caught in anti-party activities, and their records of meetings with the opposition were exposed.
The state Working Committee adopted the suspension of the ward leaders.
It said: “They have sanctioned them for six months, and a special investigations panel has been set up to verify several allegations against them”.
According to the committee, Ganduje’s suspension is invalid, null and void and cannot stand.
The state’s APC chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas said that the council had since adopted the decisions of the LGA party leaders and are now investigating the culprits’ anti-party activities.
“We have evidence of meetings between the State Government officials and those who suspended the National Chairman, and the State Working Committee has agreed to sanction them for six months. They will remain suspended until the expiration of the period”, Abbas said.
Earlier, a Kano High Court fixed 17th April 2024 for the arraignment of Ganduje, his wife, son, and five others for alleged bribery.
Ganduje and the others are to be arraigned on eight counts, including a $413,000 bribery allegation, diversion, and misappropriation of funds totalling N1.38 billion.
However, the Federal High Court in Kano ruled that the Kano Public Compliant and Anti-Corruption Commission lacks the power to investigate Ganduje over an alleged $5 million bribery video.
Justice Abdullahi Liman ruled the offence was a federal one that could be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
