By Leo Zwànke, Lafia
Dr. Kassim Muhammad Kassim, Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Political Affairs, has strongly criticized recent remarks made by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, who claims to be the chairman of a group known as the “North Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, Dr. Kassim described Zazzaga’s criticism of Governor Sule’s visit to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, as baseless and in poor taste.
Zazzaga, in an interview, reportedly demanded an apology from Governor Sule, who also serves as Chairman of the APC North Central Governors’ Forum, accusing him of endorsing Ganduje and acting against the interests of the North Central zone.
Dr. Kassim, however, dismissed these accusations, suggesting they were part of a sponsored media campaign aimed at sowing discord and stirring emotions against Governor Sule across the North Central zone. He further labeled Zazzaga’s attempts to create a rift between Governor Sule and prominent figures like Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former National Chairman of the APC, as unfounded and misleading.
Explaining the purpose of Governor Sule’s visit to the APC national secretariat, Dr. Kassim clarified that the governor was there on a special invitation in his capacity as Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum. He noted that the visit was intended to help resolve the APC crisis in Benue State, and the mention of upcoming elections in Edo was related to Governor Sule’s role as the chairman of the publicity committee for the party’s national campaign in Edo State.
Dr. Kassim questioned Zazzaga’s motives, asking, “How does a visit to the national secretariat amount to an endorsement of a man who is already in office? What is Zazzaga’s agenda in quoting Governor Sule out of context?”
He also emphasized the importance of unity among party stakeholders ahead of the Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections, stressing that disunity could jeopardize the APC’s chances of success in these states.
Furthermore, Dr. Kassim challenged Zazzaga and his sponsors to bring their grievances to the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on September 11th. “If they are serious about their agitation to remove Ganduje, they should move a motion at the NEC meeting. Otherwise, their attacks on Governor Sule deserve decisive action,” he asserted.
Dr. Kassim expressed disappointment that Zazzaga, despite his claimed status as a party stakeholder in the North Central, appeared uninformed about the significant developments in Nasarawa State under Governor Sule’s leadership. He pointed to the governor’s achievements, particularly in the solid mineral sector, which have attracted the attention of the presidency and positioned Nasarawa State as an attractive destination for investors and development.
“No one can insult Governor Sule and go unchallenged, especially given his developmental strides across the state,” Dr. Kassim concluded.
