The Plateau State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a decision to suspend one of its Board of Trustees (BoT) members, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, over alleged anti-party activities, a source told Daily Trust.
Kwande, a founding member of APC, denied involvement in any anti-party activities.
It will be recalled that the party in a query dated 21st September, 2018 and signed by its Chairman, Letep Dabang, accused Kwande of disloyalty and anti-party activities after he attended a rally organized for ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
During the said rally Kwande was reported to have said that people shouldn’t be surprised if he brings Lalong back to PDP.
Atiku, one of the presidential aspirants under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) was in Jos last Tuesday to lobby national delegates from Plateau state ahead of PDP’s presidential primary.
The presence of Kwande at the Atiku’s rally in Jos has caused excitement and stir even though few months ago the former attended the latter’s rally and formal declaration to contest for the presidency in Yola.
APC explained that Kwande’s action as BoT of APC constituted anti-party activities that has caused the party serious embarassment, then ordered him to comprehensively respond to its query within 24 hours on why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
However, Kwande in a two-page reply to the party, he explained that he went to the said rally, because of his 30 years long political association with Atiku.
Kwande who was a former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Switzerland clarified that he also attended the rally because Atiku urged him to escort him to where he was going which happened to be PDP’s Plateau Secretariat.
He said, “Atiku Abubakar, my 30 years’ long political associate came to Jos, whom I received with great pleasure at the Jos Airport and even made two of my vehicles available for his entourage, one of the vehicle was given to me by him.
“I escorted his Excellency, Atiku Abubakar to where he was going which happened to be an arena in the office of PDP,” he said.
He said he was surprised when “I saw my name marked and pasted on a chair prominently displayed next to PDP chairman for the purpose to blackmail me and my party. They knew I would never abandon Atiku anywhere.”
On the issue of bringing back Lalong to PDP, Kwande said that, “I also said that this is a season of defections and to create an atmosphere for the people to laugh, I said if myself and my governor decide to defect why should you be surprise?
But a source from the Plateau APC confirmed to Daily Trust that the committee constituted by the party recommended the suspension of Kwande.
“The party has received Kwande’s reply after it has queried him, the committee constituted by the party recommended for his suspension.” The source said.
However, when contacted, the state’s Secretary of the party, Bashir Sati, acknowledged the receipt of Kwande’s response and the party has not taken any decision.
He said, “We have received his reply, we are still studying it, and as I am speaking to you the party hasn’t taken any decision.”
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