Politics

Crisis Rocks Katsina NNPP, Deputy Gov Candidate, Party Executives Sacked

Published

1 year ago

March 11, 2023

The Katsina State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party has sacked its deputy governorship candidate, Muttaqa Rabe-Darma, the state party chairman, Sani Liti, and other top executives.

The Director, media and publicity of the NNPP, Nasiru Usman-Kankia, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the decision of the party on Friday in Katsina, saying they were sacked for anti-party activities, including Thursday’s endorsement of the All Progressive Congress candidate, Dr Dikko Radda.

“As you are already aware, a section of the state executive leadership of the party convened an unauthorised meeting on Thursday, March 9, the decision of which almost rocked the party.

“An emergency exco meeting comprising 19 out of 29 members was conveyed to discuss the immediate and remote causes of the illegal meeting.

“Facts have emerged that the illegal meeting was unconstitutionally convened without the consent of the state executive committee.

“It was also discovered that even when invitations were sent for the illegal meeting to state and local government exco members and ward chairmen, they were informed that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss and disburse funds for the settlement of polling unit agents and ward coordinators.

“However, at the illegal meeting, the APC gubernatorial candidate was ushered in and the NNPP state chairman, Liti, the party’s governorship running mate, Rabe-Darma, and other top executives introduced other members present as decampees to the APC.

“Almost immediately, the entire arena turned chaotic with shouts of NNPP slogans and chants of no, no, no, by the party’s loyalists,” Usman-Kankia narrated.

According to him, the APC candidate, Dr Radda, immediately stated that what he discussed with the NNPP members was on an alliance, not defection.

The NNPP spokesperson recalled that the party had on March 5, warned its members, officials, and candidates against forming an alliance with any political party.

“Accordingly, party officers, members and candidates at all levels are not authorised to discuss, negotiate or form any alliance with any political party for the purpose of winning the upcoming governorship and legislative polls.

“Anyone who endorses a candidate of another political party will be sanctioned in line with the NNPP Constitution, ranging from suspension to expulsion.

“Our emergency meeting considered and decided to expel the officials and members involved in the illegal forum, subject to the approval of the party’s national executive committee.

“They are state Chairman, Sani Liti; state Secretary, Umar Jibril; youth leader, Mustapha Basheer; Katsina zonal Chairman, Dauda Kurfi; Funtua Zonal Chairman, Abdulhadi Mai-Dawa; Daura zonal Chairman, Dr Sale Mashi; deputy governorship candidate, Rabe-Darma and Sen. Audu Yandoma,” according to Usman-Kankia.

NAN

Politics

Edo Poll: LP Guber Candidate, Akpata Replaces Running Mate

Published

13 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

Olumide Akpata, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming election in Edo State, has replaced his running mate, Alufokhai Oluyinka, with Prince Kadiri Yussuf Asamah (SAN).

Prior to his nomination, he served as a partner and head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group at the law firm of Jackson, Etti & Edu.

His extensive experience and expertise in civil and commercial litigation, arbitration, mediation, negotiation, and regulatory compliance make him a valuable asset to the legal community.

He has also earned a reputation for his meticulous approach and dedication to achieving favourable outcomes for his clients.

His nomination as running mate to Akpata has reportedly caused a mix of excitement and concern within the Auchi political circles.

While some are excited hoping his nomination would serve as a breath of fresh air and also infuse a reasonable degree of credibility into the political process, the critics, however, contended that he has been largely apolitical until now and may not change the tide in the political arena.

Politics

[JUST IN] Ganduje: Kano APC Sacks Ward Leaders

Published

18 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

The All Progressives Congress, APC, state working committee in Kano, has taken drastic measures against some Ward Party Leaders who suspended the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.

APC Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government was said to have suspended Ganduje but in a quick counter, the party’s local government officials thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind it.

The APC Dawakin Tofa Local Government Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told Newsmen that those behind the suspension of the National Chairman were caught in anti-party activities and their records of meetings with the opposition, exposed.

Adopting the suspension of the APC Ward APC leaders, the state working committee of the Party said they have sanctioned the perpetrators for six months and a special investigations panel has been set up to verify several allegations against them.

The Kano Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Abbas, said the decisions of the LG Party Leaders have since been adopted.

“We have evidence of meetings between the state government officials and those that suspended the National Chairman. The state working committee has agreed to sanction them for six months and they stand now suspended.”

However, one of the accused party men against Ganduje, Halliru Gwanjo said they decided to suspend him from the party due to the allegations levelled against him by the Kano State government on bribery.

Politics

UPDATED: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Published

19 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Editor

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has been suspended from the party.

Ganduje was suspended by members of his ward, the Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State on Monday.

His suspension followed alleged corruption charges levelled against him by the state government.

Recall that the Kano High Court had said Ganduje will, on April 17, 2024, be arraigned on charges bothering on allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds, including the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38bn in bribes.

The Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, who confirmed the development, said Ganduje would be arraigned alongside his wife and six others.

The accused individuals, as listed in the writ of summon, include Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises.

The Kano State Government, which initiated the criminal suit against the eight respondents, declared its readiness to present 15 witnesses to testify before Justice Usman Na’aba of State High Court number four.

“It is very true. We have filed the case and it’s going to hold on the 17th of April, 2024. What I cannot confirm is whether he is served or not, but he will definitely be served,” he said.

Dederi further highlighted the significance of accountability in governance, remarking, “What he (Ganduje) doesn’t understand is that you cannot run away from the evil day, it will definitely come to you, and this will even serve as a deterrence to all of us that are also in government now.”

The commissioner also addressed the jurisdictional aspect of the case, asserting, “He was saying that we can’t prosecute him, forgetting that the offence also falls under the category of the state offences,” he said.

“It’s not totally a federal affair and we have even appealed to Justice Liman ruling on that.”