The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has said that the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, has been informed about the purported suspension of its National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The party executives maintained that non-APC members sponsored the suspension and that the perpetrators would be brought to justice upon police investigation.
The ruling party’s latest action was disclosed in a statement yesterday in Abuja by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka.
According to Morka, the purported suspension of Ganduje is downright criminal and has no effect whatsoever. He asserted that the opposition party plotted the political event to create confusion with the APC.
The statement reads: “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to media reports of the purported suspension of the National Chairman, HE Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, from the party by the Executive Committee of the Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.
“The purported suspension was the devious act of a group of impersonators of ward officials out to cause mischief and create confusion in the otherwise peaceful Ganduje Ward chapter of our party. The perpetrators of this criminal act are not card-carrying members of APC in the ward but are individuals affiliated with senior officials and representatives of the NNPP.
“This act procured by officials of the ruling NNPP in Kano is part of the despicable programme of political persecution launched by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf against Ganduje, a former Governor of Kano State.
“The purported suspension is downright criminal, and of no effect whatsoever. The legitimate Executive Committee of the Ganduje Ward has since denounced the action and reaffirmed Dr. Ganduje as a bonafide member of the Party in the Ward, and in good standing.”
Determined to unearth the mastermind behind the suspension, Morka said: “The party has filed a petition with the Inspector General of Police, requesting an expedited investigation of this matter and that the perpetrators and their sponsors be brought to justice.”
Earlier, the APC’s Kano State chapter warned party ward leaders who falsely declared the suspension of Ganduje, stating that they will face legal action.
During a press conference held in Kano yesterday, the ward chairman of the party in Ganduje’s area of residence, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Koko, declared that the party intends to sue the ward leaders for their involvement in “conspiracy, impersonation, and defamation”.
He said: “The purported suspension was null and void, and would have no any effect on the national chairman.
“The ward and local government executives, having identified the persons involved in this unfortunate situation, have already prepared to charge them to court for impersonation and calculated attempt to embarrass and dent the image of the party and that of the national chairman.
“We call on all party members to disregard the purported suspension and remain calm.”