The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee led by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has ordered the expulsion of Alhaji Sirajo Garba from the party.
Garba is chairman of the Senator Kabir Marafa’s faction of the APC in Zamfara State.
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A letter dated August 26, 2020, addressed to the Zamfara State chairman of the party signed by the APC National Secretary, Sen. John J. Akpanudoedehe, said Garba flouted the directive of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The APC NEC had on June 25, 2020, passed a resolution directing members of the party not to institute any court action and to withdraw their cases in court to explore the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party.
But the APC national leadership, in the letter obtained by our correspondent, expressed worry that despite the directive of NEC and subsequent steps taken by the party to ensure compliance, there had been several court cases by party members seeking the dissolution of the caretaker committee and state congresses in complete disregard of the directive of NEC.
The letter reads in part: “The leadership of the party has decided to invoke the provisions of Article 21 of the party’s constitution against members of the party who have flouted the directive of NEC.
“The caretaker committee hereby directs that the relevant executive committee in your state chapter should immediately set up a disciplinary committee to commence and complete the process of suspension and expulsion of Alhaji Sirajo Garba from the party.
“You are expected to forward to the National Secretariat all records of the disciplinary proceedings against Alhaji Sirajo Garba for disobeying the directive of NEC.
“It is important that the disciplinary procedures to be undertaken must be consistent with the right to fair hearing as enshrined in the party’s constitution.”
A panel constituted to take disciplinary action against Senator Marafa’s faction of the APC in the state held its inaugural sitting on Tuesday, the Secretary of the committee, Barrister Bello Umar Gusau told Daily Trust yesterday.
Barrister Gusau, who is also the state’s former commissioner for Justice, said the panel which had been constituted was yet to take any action on 140 members of the party.
He said an announcement had been made about the sitting of the committee on the matter and that all the local government offices of the party had been notified.
Reacting, yesterday, Senator Marafa’s faction of the party, through its factional publicity secretary, Alhaji Bello Bakyasuwa, said nobody had sent any information on the party’s action to them.
Bakyasuwa said: “As I’m speaking to you, we are right now at the party’s headquarters in Abuja to ascertain the veracity of the letter indicating our expulsion that we saw being circulated on social media.
“If you are talking about the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that all court cases should be withdrawn, I will remind you that our litigation predated Mr President’s directive.
“We saw the letter on social media and we were not called or handed the letter.
“So, to us, that letter is as worthless as “akara” wrapping sheet.
‘Even if it is true, we are supposed to be called and addressed.
‘Therefore, I can tell you that we are authentic members of the party.”
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