The suspension of Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly has ripped All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state apart due to some irreconciliable differences between the state chapter chairman and the ward chairman of the party.
The APC Tudun-Wada North chapter, in a statement signed by its chairman, Ibrahim Salisu Togo, had suspended Senator Sani, insisting that their decision was based on the constitution of the party.
However, in a telephone interview with journalists, Emmanuel Jakada, the state chairman of the APC said the purported suspension of Senator Sani did not follow constitutional provision.
His statement is coming at a time the chairman of the APC in Senator Sani’s ward, Togo insisted that the controversial senator’s suspension followed due process, a position earlier affirmed by Nasir El Rufai, the governor of Kaduna state.
Alhaji Togo said, “We, the Tudun Wada North, Ward Six Exco of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Kaduna South Local Government wish to affirm our decision on the indefinite suspension of Senator Shehu Sani.”
Jakada responded ‘’Look, suspension does not come from the pages of newspapers. However, at the local government, there must be a committee to find out the allegations. There are a lot of constitutional processes to be followed before you can pronounce somebody suspended.
“As the Chairman, I have set up committee to reconcile the aggrieved members so I expected that if there was any issue with any of the aggrieved member it is supposed to be directed to the reconciliation committee. “Am so surprised that I am hearing this from you people, I have not seen anything like that on my table. I don’t believe that the right thing according to the constitution has been done,” he said.
Togo in his statement said “This affirmation was informed by the need for updating the general public and the good people of Kaduna State regarding our collective resolve.
“We make bold to say that our decision was based on the provisions of the constitution of our great party.
‘’Therefore, Senator Shehu Sani remains suspended. In all fairness to the party and Kaduna State voters, the only pre-condition for lining this suspension on Senator Shehu Sani is for the lawmaker to openly apologize to the leadership of our great party for his various acts of misconduct and disrespectful attitudes towards both his constituents, party leadership and his vicious media attacks against our amiable President Muhammadu Buhari.
“He should also apologize to the Government and people of Kaduna State for frustrating the $350 million loan meant to develop the State in the areas of Education, Health-care delivery, Works and Housing, Women and Youth Empowerment, among others.
“We cannot justify the pain to which the disappointed voters of Kaduna State have been subjected by the Senator’s unco-operative and selfish attitude over the World Bank loan.
“We wish to also seize this opportunity to stress our allegiance and respect for the leadership of our great party at all levels. We also identify fully with the developmental strides of Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led administration in many areas, especially infrastructure.”
