• We’re not bothered by sponsored agents’ activities, says party
A Kano State High Court yesterday ruled that former Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, remains the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court order came on the heels of numerous suspensions that party leaders in Ganduje’s ward in Kano State slammed against him.
The state High Court, presided over by Justice Usman Mallam Na’Abba, who had earlier affirmed the suspension of Dr. Ganduje as APC national chairman, reversed itself and vacated the same order.
Some APC members in Ganduje Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State had earlier announced the suspension of Dr. Ganduje.
The Legal Adviser to an APC faction in the ward, Malam Haladu Gwanjo, announced Ganduje’s purported suspension.
Gwanjo, who cited alleged corruption and other vices as the reasons for the suspension, said the decision was taken by nine executive members of the party in the ward.
Gwanjo and Laminu Sani Barguma, who also claimed to be the Chairman and Secretary of the APC in Ganduje Ward, had gone to court and obtained an order affirming the suspension.
But Justice Usman Na’Abba said he vacated his earlier order upon reading a motion ex parte with a 27-paragraph affidavit in support and a written address, dated April 22 sworn to by a litigation secretary in the fourth respondent’s solicitors law firm, Glory Adah.
“An order of interim injunction is hereby granted staying the execution of the order of interim injunction contained in the ruling of this court delivered on April 17, 2024, directing parties to maintain status quo ante as at April 15, 2024 in relation to the suspension of the fourth respondent/applicant from the first respondent by the Ganduje Ward Executive Committee pending the hearing and determination of the 4th respondent/applicant Motion on Notice,” the judge said.
Justice Na’Abba adjourned the matter till April 30 for hearing.
Also, the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the public to ignore the purported suspension of the national chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
The secretary of the party in the state, Alhaji Zakari Sarina, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kano that the supposed suspension of Ganduje by any group of individuals was null and void.
He said the suspension, which was announced on Sunday by a faction of the party, came from non-members of the party.
“It is impracticable for non-members to slam a national officer with suspension without recourse to laid down procedures as enshrined in the party’s constitution.
“I must make it clear, that we are undeterred by the activities of these impostors bec ause.
Their style lacks finesse and sophistication and has further exposed their political naivety where Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is an acclaimed master.
“From available records, those behind the latest oddity are political jobbers who have offered themselves for pecuniary benefits at behest of dignity,” Sarina alleged.
According to him, they don’t belong to progressive because a good thing party member will not work towards destroying a legitimate member who was governor for 8 years and rose to become a national chairman.
“It is because they are outsiders, they are simply not aware of the internal workings, or ground rules of the APC on disciplinary actions, hence they resort to poor strategy that cannot stand logic, and reasons.
“We from ward, local government level and state are solidly behind our leader who has contribute positively towards the political growth of our party,” he told NAN.
Sarina alleged that leader of the group who announced the purported Ganduje’s suspension was a member of New Nigeria People’s Party who contested but lost the counselorship election in Ganduje ward.
He advised the media to be cautious of those who seek to use their platforms to promote falsehood.
“The media should, as a matter of fact, scrutinise issues that are of paramount to the growth of democracy by being the driver of democracy,” he said.
