- They are jokers, says chairman
By Laleye Dipo
The crisis in the Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Thursday took a new dimension as a group within the party has removed the state Chairman, Alhaji Jibrin Imam, and two others.
The two others are the Secretary of the party, Alhaji Mohammed Liman, and Treasurer, Dr. Shafi Abdulsalami.
However, the chairman, Imam, in a swift reaction described the group as “jokers”, saying: “They have no legal right to take such action.”
The party’s 22 council chairmen, 25 secretaries, 27 out of the 33-member State Executive Committee met at the Haske Luxury Hotel in Minna, Thursday where they reportedly sacked the three officers.
At the meeting presided over by the state Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Ali Kapenter, the group replaced the chairman with Alhaji Aliyu Saidu Galkogo, while Sulaiman Abdullahi, the state Assistant Youth Leader replaced Alhaji Mohammed Liman as Secretary, while Dr Shafi Abdusalami, the Treasurer, was replaced by Saidu Madaki from Wushishi Local Government Area of the party.
The meeting held in the absence of the leader of the party in the state and Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who is in a reconciliation committee meeting in Edo State.
The group accused the sacked officers of gross misdemeanor, abuse of office, financial recklessness and diversion of over N872 million between 2014 and 2019.
The Youth Leader, Zone A, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu, who attended the meeting, confirmed the action taken by the group to THISDAY, saying: “Our decision is backed by the national headquarters of our party.”
According to Muazu, the National Secretariat has directed all states with crisis to go and resolve their dispute internally.
However, the chairman who was allegedly removed, Imam, told THISDAY on phone that the meeting was illegal, adding that they don’t have any constitutional right to summon such meeting, “I am the person allowed by law to call any meeting”.
He said nobody presented any allegation before him nor was he invited to face any panel.
He described the action as a kangaroo meeting, insisting that the group didn’t exhaust all avenues provided by the party constitution, adding that the case they are talking about is still in court, they have only taken the laws into their hands
“I am still the chairman, the secretary is still the secretary and the treasurer is still the treasurer. Nobody has removed us, we are all in the office,” he said.
