By John Shiklam in Kaduna
The Senator Shehu Sani faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State may dump the party.
In a statement on Friday, the faction said the APC in Kaduna State had lost popularity and goodwill as a result of attempts by the Kaduna State government to force unpopular people on party faithful.
The statement signed by Matamaki Tom Maiyashi noted that the conduct of the party congresses and the local government elections have confirmed fears that the absence of credible and legitimate party leadership in the state will destroy its credibility and popularity.
The faction known as “APC Akida” (True APC) said “the congresses have exposed the contempt for popular participation by Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his hand- picked choir.
“Our party has lost massive popularity and goodwill as a result of attempts to force the choices of an unpopular government on party faithful.
“Persons with responsibility have emerged who enjoy no support or legitimacy among party members, and the futility that these people will deliver an electoral victory in the 2019 elections is firmly registered from the reactions of most people in the state” the statement said.
Maiyashi said the congresses had exposed the contempt for popular participation by the Governor and his hand- picked choir.
According to the group, the Local Government polls “showed the crude, incompetent and wasteful attempt to show a government in control where it had lost popular support through its serial anti-people policies.”
The statement maintained that: “The attempts to cover up embarrassing setbacks and verdicts have not escaped the people. The elections would have been a strong warning to any administration, except the one run by Nasir el-Rufai which is quite comfortable in living with its own lies.
“It has become painfully aware that all efforts to halt the damage being done to our party, including many attempts by the leadership of the APC at zonal and national levels, are unlikely to reverse the decline in our party’s capacity to live up to its promises made to the people in 2015.
“We now have a party led by people without legitimacy, and a government headed by a governor whose registered success lies only in his ability to rain curses on perceived opponents while dancing in public.
“While our people die at the hands of marauding killers by the day, our governor lives in his own world, seemingly beyond the reach of any restraining influence.”
The group said it had informed all relevant party organs and leaders of its desire to leave the APC if there was no visible evidence of success in addressing the damaging levels of alienation and frustration among the millions of party faithful in state.
Maiyashi said: “As things stand, the founding values of our party, particularly integrity, accountability, inclusiveness and compassion have been systematically repudiated by the government of Nasir el-Rufai, starting with the subversion of the autonomy and integrity of the party at all levels in the state.
“If other State governments and party leaders emulate the example of Kaduna, our party will have a very difficult task retaining the confidence of the people in 2019.
“The Akida group restates its commitment to continue to work for good governance and economic progress in Kaduna State and the nation.
“We appeal to anyone with authority or influence over the governor to use it responsibly to head off a looming disaster in the shape of a party that has lost its foundations and its future.”
