• party deny suspending Kano executive
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Some leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Kogi State have asked the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, not to succumb to pressure to dissolve the executives of the party in the state.
The concern of the party stakeholders came just as the APC leadership yesterday denied reports that it has sacked the Chairman of the Kano State APC chapter, Alhaji. Umar Haruna Doguwa from office.
Kogi party stakeholders including the Senator Representing Kogi West district, Dino Melaye, Senator Alex Kadri, Kogi state Chairman, Alhaji Ameato met with Oyegun and some members of the NWC yesterday over speculations that their are moves to sack the party executive in the state chapter.
The Kogi State chapter of APC has been at logger-heads with the state governor, Yahaya Bello over the control of the party structure.
However, speaking on behalf of the group, Kadri said they have come to discuss issues relating to the crisis in the Kogi State APC with a view to finding lasting solution.
He, however, said the leaders and executive of the state chapter are solidly behind Senator Melaye in his efforts to quash the move to recall him from the Senate, insisting that the party is not prepared to lose its only senate seat.
He also disclosed that the Tony Momoh-led reconciliation committee for Kogi State had submitted their report and that the report would be considered by the national working committee at their meeting tomorrow.
“We also disabused our minds vis-a-vis the mind of the national chairman over the fact that people have accused some persons of moving funds from Kogi to Abuja. We do not have facts to give you anything on this. And the chairman has assured us that his hands are clean on this matter. We believe him.â€
Senator Melaye described the outcome of the meeting with pary’s leadership as fruitful, adding that they received the assurance that nothing will be done to tamper with the party leadership in Kogi State.
“That’s very important to us we got the affirmation from the national chairman that it is not in the agenda of their meeting tomorrow. He absurd that the executive of the APC in Kogi State at all levels won’t be dissolved. There are procedures dissolution of party executives at state level, even at the national level,†he said.
On what the leaders would do if the NWC comes out to dissolve the Kogi State executive after their meeting, he said: “That can never happen and if it does we know what to do.â€
Meanwhile, APC national leadership has said that has not taken any decision to remove its Kano State Chairman, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa, from office.
In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdulahi, the party said is still pursuing peace efforts, adding that the status quo is to be maintained until the ongoing process is completed.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC has been drawn to some media reports that the Chairman of the Kano State APC chapter, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa has been removed from office.
“We wish to state that in respect of Kano, no such decision has been taken by the NWC. Although, we are aware of issues in the Kano State chapter, efforts to find lasting solutions to the problem are ongoing. In view of this, the status quo is maintained until the ongoing process is completed.
 “Party members, stakeholders, leaders and indeed the general public are advised to disregard the false reports,†it said.
