By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
There seems to be more confusion over the suspension galore in the All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Kano state, as the situation has taken a diamension.
Just yesterday, the Vice Chairman of the Northwest of the ruling APC, Garba Datti, declared the suspensions of the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and Aminu Sani Jaji, the member representing Birnin Magaji/Shinkafi constituency, as well as those carried out by some elements in the party at ward, local government, and state levels, unconstitutional, null, and void.
Speaking while presenting his welcome address at the Northwest stakeholders meeting comprising governors, former governors, senators, and members of the House of Representatives in Kaduna on Sunday, the APC leader said the amended APC constitution does not give them the power to do so. According to him, such powers rest with the National Working Committee of the party.
He lamented that a fundamental issue that must be addressed is the spate of suspensions that has become a trend whereby the Party, particularly at the ward level, purportedly suspends prominent party members.
“The latest example is Zamfara State. We are aware that the problems in Kano and Zamfara states are being instigated by individuals impersonating members of our Party but who are actually moles working for opposition parties.
“Let me make it clear that, under our amended Constitution, no organ of the Party at any level has the power to suspend members of the party until due process has been complied with at all levels, after which the National Working Committee (NWC) has the final say.
“In other words, no member of our Party can be suspended without recourse to the NWC. To state it in clear terms, such suspensions are unconstitutional, null, and void, and the status quo ante remains!”
Commenting further, he commended the zone for its massive contributions to the growth of the party, saying, “As a Zone, we have made significant contributions to the growth and advancement of our great Party and its electoral victories.
“We are also conscious that we must review our electoral victories from 2015 to address issues that affect the Zone both at governmental and political levels so that as a party we continue to renew, be dynamic, vibrant, vigorous, and continue to grow from strength to strength”, he said.
