Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada
Fresh crisis erupted in the All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State as the party on Thursday issued a query and warning letter to Governor Nasir el-Rufai over what the party described as his anti-party and anti-human activities in the state.Though the query and warning letter emanated from a faction of the party, known as ‘The Restoration APC’ in the state, its Acting Chairman, Danladi Wada, claimed he is the authentic chairman duly recognised by the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja.Also, the APC slammed 18 months suspension on the Political Adviser to the Governor, Mallam Uba Sani and the state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Audu Kwaru, as well as the Acting State Secretary of the party, Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate.In the letter signed by Wada, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Kaduna during a press conference, the faction stated that the suspension and query of the governor was with immediate effect.Wada added that el-Rufai was expected to answer the query within 48 hours, noting that failure to do so would attract further disciplinary actions.The letter was copied to the National Chairman of the APC, Vice-Chairman, North-West Zone of the party, INEC Headquarters, Abuja, INEC Kaduna, the State Independent Electoral Commission, all the APC Local Government Chairmen, Kaduna State Command’s Police Commissioner, DSS, Kaduna Command and all media houses in Kaduna State.The chairman also announced the relocation of the party secretariat to 11B Sambo Road in Kaduna metropolis.He said the decision to relocate the party office was approved by the majority members of the State Executive Committee because the former office was infested with thugs.Reacting to the query, El-Rufai said, “We are sending political traders into retirement.”He added that he would not be swayed by the drowning antics of some political traders on the state.El-Rufai in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, also warned that “rascally actions being undertaken by these traders in the hope of getting a lifeline from reconciliation moves would not be rewarded.”The governor said, “The APC Government of Kaduna State has boldly lived up to its manifesto, commitments and principles to the people. In this work, it continues to enjoy the firm support of the APC State Executive which is united, and committed to the hard work of bringing sustainable change.“The government appreciates the support it has received from the party in executing policies that stand up for the right of the ordinary people to equal opportunity. That support was vividly demonstrated as the government took drastic action to ensure that only qualified teachers teach the children of the poor.“Governor Nasir el-Rufai is proud of his record in achieving unprecedented levels of capital spending in the state, direct job creation, doubling school enrolment and doubling internally generated revenue.“The governor has no doubt that the people of Kaduna State have seen who is committed to building schools, roads and hospitals, and bringing investors and will make the right choice in their own interest. The political traders are also aware that the people know who is standing up for them.“The government had been made aware of the boastful and pompous claims of Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, that he will change the leadership of Kaduna State in 2019 by installing himself as governor.“The desperate senator is seeking a lifeline, in the vain belief that ratcheting up rascally actions will bring him attention and relief from the mooted national reconciliation efforts. Senator Hunkuyi has further illegally created a faction, headquartered in his house, as a bargaining chip.“This senator has failed to understand that you cannot create party executives at your whim. It is the party’s prerogative to consider appropriate responses to this breach of discipline. But as a government, we view these actions as the needless drama of political traders.”Since the party came into power in May, 2015, it has been enmeshed in crisis, leading to the formation of three factions of the APC in the state.They include, the ‘Restoration APC’ led by Alhaji Tijjani Ramallan and Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; the ‘APC Akida’ led by Senator Shehu Sani and the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.Wada, who belonged to the ‘Restoration APC,’ was the Deputy Chairman of the party in the state before the 2015 general elections.He (Wada) claimed the National Secretariat of the party recognised him as the authentic chairman of the party in the state.Meanwhile, in a statement, the senator representing the Kaduna North Senatorial District, Hunkuyi confirmed that the National Headquarters of the APC duly recognised Wada as the acting chairman of the APC in the state.In view of the development, Hunkuyi, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on National Identity Card, said as a loyal member of the party, he would align with the national leaders of the party that recognised Wada as the acting chairman of the party in the state.He urged all members of the party in the state to comply with the decision of the national headquarters of the party.
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