APC Crisis Deepens in Kaduna as Faction Announces Disciplinary Actions against El-Rufai, Aides

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The crisis rocking the Kaduna State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened as disciplinary measures against the state governor and two of his aides were announced thursday by one of the factions claiming the leadership of the party.

The faction known as Kaduna Restoration Group also announced the relocation of the state secretariat of the party, along Ali Akilu road in Kaduna to Sambo Close.

The Ali Akilu road secretariat is being occupied by the Government House faction of the party, it was alleged.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, Alhaji Shuaibu Danladi Wada who insisted that he is the constitutionally recognised state acting chairman of the party and who belongs to the Restoration Group announced that the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been issued with a query for anti-party activities while the governor’s Political Adviser, Mallam Uba Sani; the state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Abdu Kwari, and the acting state Secretary of the party, Yahaya Baba Pate, were suspended for 18 months for similar offences.

The APC in the state has been embroiled in controversy since it assumed power resulting in the emergence of three factions-the Restoration Group led by Alhaji Tijani Ramalan and Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; the Government House faction and the APC-Akida faction led by Senator Shehu Sani.
According to Wada, the disciplinary action was taken after investigations and consultations between the state working committee and stakeholders.

According to him, “We took some disciplinary measures after investigations.
“That is to say we followed the party constitution. The state working committee, after due consultation with stakeholders and elders of the party, resolved to suspend Mallam Uba Sani; the state Commissioner for Finance, Kwari, and the acting Secretary of the party, Pate for 18 months.”

Wada said: “Governor El-Rufai has been queried and we are expecting him to answer the query within 48 hours.
“Failure to do that, the state working committee will sit down and deliberate. We queried el-Rufai for his anti-party activities and anti-human activities. The letters would be delivered to these personalities today (yesterday).
On the relocation of the party office, Wada explained that the decision to relocate the secretariat was approved by the majority of the members of the state executive committee.

He said the relocation became “necessary so as to create a harmonious workings considering the unprecedented manner by which some politicians have permanently deployed thugs that invaded the former address and harassed, intimidated and beat innocent officers and members of the party that are perceived as political threat, and were on several occasions prevented from taking part in any activity of the party.”

Meanwhile, a statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to El-Rufai declared that “no one will pay heed to the attention-seeking gambits of desperate politicians who have steadily been demystified.”
The statement warned that “rascally actions being undertaken by these traders in the hope of getting a lifeline from reconciliation moves will not be rewarded.”

According to Aruwan, “The APC Government of the state has boldly lived up to its manifesto, and 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.”