There is confusion in the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as factions traded expulsion in the aftermath of the losses the party suffered at the Supreme Court.
The ex- Governor Abdulaziz Yari’s faction yesterday expelled the immediate past deputy governor, Ibrahim Wakkala, the senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa, and member representing Kauran Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aminu Jaji, for alleged anti-party activities.
The decision was contained in a statement issued, yesterday, by the state Publicity Secretary, Malam Shehu Isah, on behalf of the state chairman.
The statement revealed that the resolution to expel the three politicians was reached at a meeting of the State Executive Committee in Gusau, the state capital, on Sunday.
“The provision of Article 21 (A) ii and (D) v of the party’s constitution was activated against the three members for violation of the constitutional provision and engaging in acts inimical to the interest of the party.
“Consequently, a resolution was passed expelling all of them from the All Progressives Congress,” the statement read in part.
The statement, which cited the provision of the party constitution which recommended that any member of the party who files an action in court against the party or any of its officials without first exhausting the avenues for redress, stands expelled, added that the constitution said no appeal against such expulsion shall be entertained until the withdrawal of the court case.
On the other hand, the faction of the APC loyal to Sen. Marafa also announced the expulsion of Yari and and the Deputy National Chairman, North, of APC, Lawali Shuaibu.
The Marafa faction said it took the decision to expel the former governor and Shuaibu at the end of an emergency meeting held in Gusau.
A statement jointly signed by the Factional Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Surajo Garba Mai Katako and the Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Bello Bakyasuwa, made available to Daily Trust in Abuja, said the expulsion was sequel to the electoral misfortune Yari and his co-travellers exposed the party to in Zamfara.
The Marafa faction recalled how the former governor frustrated efforts to conduct primaries last year, thus laying the foundation for the electoral misfortune that befell it in the state.
“After reviewing the outing of our party in the last general election and the outcome of the Supreme Court Judgement, we hereby dismiss the former governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari and the Deputy National Chairman Sen Lawali Shuaibu from the APC.
“Following this development, we are urging them to immediately surrender all the belongings of the party in their possession including funds,” the statement said.
The crisis rocking the Zamfara State chapter of the APC reached its climax recently when the Supreme Court sacked all the party’s elected officials and replaced them with the candidates who came second in all the contests.
The PDP became the major beneficiary of the court case instituted by the APC members.
