Kano APC accuses presidency of sabotaging Ganduje as ex-governor gets reprieve

Protesters, Rivers chapter ask him to step aside
Spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Ahmad Aruwa, has accused the presidency of working against the party’s suspended National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The allegation was contained in a short viral video, where he claimed that some forces in the presidency were hell-bent on seeing to the exit of the former state governor.

He warned of the dire consequence of such action, reminding the so-called plotters that Ganduje played a key role in President Ahmed Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 general elections.

“We will confront anyone within the APC who dares to challenge Ganduje, regardless of their status or political influence,” he threatened.

Aruwa flayed the President for allegedly abandoning the embattled chairman at this trying time despite the huge support he reportedly got in Kano through him.

The spokesperson restated: I solemnly pledge that if anyone is to confront Ganduje within the APC, it would inevitably lead to a substantial political crisis, which we are very ready to fight back.

“Irrespective of the individual’s identity, we are acutely aware of the plotting and machinations orchestrated by certain APC members at the Villa.

“It was solely Ganduje who facilitated Tinubu’s presence in Kano when there was a lack of support from others.”

Reliable sources at the Villa, who pleaded for anonymity, revealed that Ganduje’s travails began when he reportedly failed to attract Governor Abba Yusuf and his political godfather, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to the ruling party.

THIS comes as the ex-governor secured an ex parte injunction restraining further action on his ‘purported’ suspension as a member of the party.

In the application granted Wednesday by the Federal High Court in Kano, Justice A. U Liman ordered the suspension announced by the Ganduje Ward to be halted.

The ruling came in the application by the former governor to stop the further action against him, while seeking enforcement of his fundamental right in the substantive suit slated for April 30.

Joined in the suit as respondents were the nine ward executives that initiated the ‘sacking’, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The order reads: “That all the respondents, their servants, agents or privies are hereby restrained from Implementing and/or giving effect to the purported decision reached during the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, held at Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local government Area.

“That all the parties are hereby mandated to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.”

Justice Usman Na’Abba of the state High Court had equally restrained APC, its NWC and others from further action in the matter until the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Both judges have adjourned the hearing to April 30.

MEANWHILE, scores of protesters, yesterday, called on Ganduje to step aside in the interest of the party, ahead of the Ondo governorship poll.

The marchers, who stormed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, warned against a repeat of the Zamfara experience, where all victorious members lost their seats to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 2019 poll

Under the aegis of the Guardian of Democracy and Development Initiative (GoDDI), the protesters pleaded with Ganduje to honour the rule of law.

Some of their placards read: “We don’t want what happened in Zamfara to happen in Ondo”, “Respect the court order from Kano State to save our party in Ondo state” and “Every member of APC is competent to handle the affairs of the party, Ganduje should step aside. We don’t want another disaster in Ondo State.”

Jointly led by Danesi Momoh and Abdulkadir Shuaibu, the protesters, who read an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, and addressed to the national secretary of the party, Surajudeen Ajibola, argued that the continued stay of Ganduje in office would interfere with anything that has to do with Ondo APC primary.

ALSO, the Emeka Beke-led faction of the APC in Rivers State has urged Ganduje to obey party protocols by temporarily stepping aside.

At a media briefing in Port Harcourt, the Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, emphasised the significance of party constitutionality.

He cited Article 9 of the APC’s constitution which states that the authority to suspend or dismiss members resides with the ward executives and members.

Nwauju added that Article 21(3) outlined the disciplinary procedures, which begin at the ward too.