There have been reactions to the purported suspension of former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction in the state.
A faction of the PDP loyal to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, had in a letter dated April 16, 2021, suspended Kwankwaso over the crisis that rocked the North-West Zonal Congress of the party in Kaduna last week.
Kwankwaso was accused of “leading his supporters into a shameful and embarrassing act of thuggery of disrupting the democratic process during the PDP Northwest Zonal Convention of April, 10th, 2021…”
However, some Nigerians on Twitter questioned the content of the letter, asking why a query and suspension would be handed to the former governor in the same letter.
Hilarious! So they queried and suspended him in the letter without waiting for his response…..Na our way be that…
— Yinka Chukwuemeka Ogunnubi (@yinkanubi) April 18, 2021
One thing is sure. Nigeria’s inefficiency and ineptitude cuts across political, religious or tribal divides. We are strongly United on that front! pic.twitter.com/PTemS5Yi1U
— Ayò-Bánkólé Akíntújoyè (@AyoBankole) April 18, 2021
https://twitter.com/tahitang/status/1383744068983803910?s=19
PDP is a shameless opposition. Just like their twin brother APC, they have nothing to offer.
— Bankole (@banky_ac) April 18, 2021
Daily Trust reports that following the disruption of the North-West Zonal congress of the PDP, the leadership of the party appointed a caretaker committee to see to the affairs of the party in the zone for 40 days.
Members of the caretaker committee are: Dr. Aminu Abdullahi (Chairman) and Alhaji Baba Kasim Ibrahim (Secretary).
Others are Alhaji Sani Baba, Hon. Ali Madaki, Hon. Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba, Hon. Hi Umaru Maye and Alhaji Akibu Dalhatu.
Factional group reacts
Meanwhile, the PDP faction loyal to Kwankwaso has disowned the purported query and suspension, saying the action lacks legality.
A statement by Hon. Jamilu Abubakar Danbatta, Secretary, PDP Kano State Chapter under the leadership of Alh. Shehu Wada Sagagi, said the crisis witnessed at the zonal congress was orchestrated by some “elements of distraction within the party, who play to the gallery of APC and Kano state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.”
The statement read in part: “The attention of Kano state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a faceless statement issued by unknown element of distraction in the party that a query was issued to the leader of our great party H.E. Sen. Engr. (Dr.) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“The statement which was poorly written by so called PDP Gidan Gona, under the leadership of Sen. Bello Hayatu Gwarzo and Amb. Aminu Wali was aimed at creating disunity to mislead unsuspecting members of the party in Kano and beyond.
“The general public may recall that this same group of impostors had issued a fake dismissal letter to Sen. Kwankwaso in December last year, it should be noted that they lack any legal backing to issue any query or suspension to any member of the party.
“The PDP Kano state chapter under the able leadership of Alh. Shehu Wada Sagagi wishes to inform all stakeholders and security agencies that the atrocities of these bad elements will no longer be tolerated and that legal action will soon be instituted against them for impersonation.
“The national headquarters of the party recognizes only one bonafide state executives chaired by Shehu Wada Sagagi which was duly elected at state congress last year.
“This was proven by the affirmation from the national Chairman Prince Oche Secondus through a congratulatory message to the new executives and subsequent correspondences between the state chapter and the national headquarters.
“The recent crisis during the zonal congress in Kaduna was orchestrated by such elements of distraction within the party, who play to the gallery of APC and Kano state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“All members of PDP should disregard the fake news as a mere speculation to create disharmony within the party, no amount of blackmail shall deter our leader Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso from supporting the party to reach its greater heights.”
