Eighteen senior members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna state have expressed their displeasure over the purported 11-month suspension of the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani.
Speaking via a statement issued on Wednesday, December 30, 2015, the APC leaders lampooned Governor Nasir El-Rufai for alienating the party and the people of the state.
Signing the statement were Mataimaki T. Maiyashi, Stanley A. Mamman, Joel Giwa, Lawal Aliyu (Silver), Auwal Isah Got, Hauwa Baba-Ahmed, Yaro Makama Rigachikun and Mohammed Kabir Ajuji. Others are Murtala Abubakar, Aminu Sani, Kabir Salihu, Hafsat Mohammed Baba, Aisha Galadima, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Sule Buba, Kabir Umar, Ibrahim Yaro and Abdullahi Tanimu.
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The statement read: “We are elders and leaders in Kaduna State All Progressive Congress (APC), in touch with popular concerns and sentiments, and concerned over the deteriorating state of our party in the State.
“We have earlier made public our advice to the national leadership of our party to exercise its responsibility to arrest the drift arising from the absence of an effective and functional party in Kaduna State.
“We have also advised the Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai to re-visit his governance strategies which are alienating large numbers of citizens from him and our party.
“The purported suspension of Senator Shehu Sani is one example of the result of the degeneration which is bound to occur as a result of the hijack of the remnants of our party by a clique that believes it owes its loyalty only to the Governor.
“The fiasco which this development is generating is placing our party in severe disrepute and our members in a state of intense grief and confusion.
“The questionable legality of the suspension and the childish reasons given for it demand that responsible members of the party speak up and demand a stop to the embarrassing melodrama that is unfolding.
“We are constrained to advise that these steps be taken to arrest the damage being caused.
“No Person shall exercise powers outside the party’s constitution. People claiming powers, including powers to query or discipline members should not themselves be holding powers that are illegal.
“The purported suspension of Senator Shehu Sani should be withdrawn. We advise that the Senator should not take legal steps to seek relief either.
“The right to free speech and to hold and express opinions are fundamental rights which our party should uphold, rather than breach. Every member should be free to express opinions on governance at all levels, subject to provisions of our party constitution.
“The national leadership of our party should, as a matter of urgency, facilitate the filling of fourteen existing vacancies in our party offices through constitutional and credible processes.
“Governor Nasir el-Rufai should lead with compassion and sensitivity to exclusiveness and respect for the citizenry.
“We will sustain our efforts to ensure that our party stays true to its ideals and commitments. We assure all members of the APC and other citizens in Kaduna State that we will continue to express views and opinions, as well as organize our fellow members to resist anti-people and dictatorial actions from all quarters.
“We remain loyal to our party, and committed to finding solutions to its problems.”
