The presidency, Sunday, disowned a letter in circulation that President Muhammadu Buhari had authorised some State governors to discipline party members said to be traitors.
The Presidency in a statement by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, specifically said that there was no time President Buhari wrote a letter or directed the Kaduna State governor Malam Nasir el-Rufai to discipline
Senator Shehu Sani for allegedly being disloyal or a traitor to the party.
The statement read, “The Presidency wishes to distance President Muhammadu Buhari from a letter currently in circulation, which alleges that the President had authorised a Governor or anyone else for that matter to “deal with traitors and disloyal members of APC, especially Senator Shehu Sani.”
“We wish to confirm that the President is not aware of any such letter, let alone authorising anyone to deal with any party member.
“Given President Buhari’s record, it is inconceivable that he would usurp the role of the party leaders and instruct anyone to punish a party member.
“In the light of above, we would like to appeal to the general public, especially members of the press, to ignore false or unauthorized information intended to attribute to the President any action which is not in line with his character.”
Meanwhile, the national body of All Progressives Congress, APC, said Sunday that Shehu Sani remained its senatorial candidate in Kaduna Central senatorial district.
Yekini Nabena, acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, gave the clarification in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja Sunday.
He said Sani was the only senatorial candidate from the zone duly recognised by the national body, maintaining that Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State, could not dictate to the party.
El-Rufai had kicked against the automatic ticket given to the lawmaker, saying Uba Sani, one of his aides, deserved to contest for the ticket of the senatorial district.
The state chapter of the APC later held a primary where Shehu Sani was said to have lost to Uba Sani.
Eddie Floyd-Igbo, returning officer of the election held at Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, had declared Uba Sani as the winner with 2,088 votes, while Shehu Sani garnered only 15 votes.
Nabena, however, reiterated that, “as far as Kaduna Central zone 2 is concerned, the only candidate is Senator Shehu Sani.
“Yes, election took place in that zone because of the House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly but for the senatorial position, the only candidate is Senator Shehu Sani. The governor cannot dictate to the party.”
