By Clement Adeyi and Olusegun Olanrewaju
The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is again on the boil following a crisis rooted in the suspension of national party chair, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The executive members of the ruling APC in the Ganduje Ward, Dawakin Tofa Local Government, Kano State, yesterday announced the suspension of Ganduje, over alleged cases of corruption and sundry malpractices and misconduct.
Ganduje’s suspension came a few weeks after the former Kano State governor had been slammed with eight-count charges bordering on corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
While announcing the suspension at a press briefing yesterday, the legal adviser of the ward, Haladu Gwanjo, said the APC national chair remained suspended as a member of the ward until he was able to clear himself of the corruption allegation.
Gwanjo told journalists that the executive members of the ward resolved to pass a vote of no confidence on Ganduje due to his inability to wash his hands off a series of allegations of graft levelled against him, particularly the celebrated ‘dollar’ video.
He said, “We the leaders of the APC in Ganduje Ward, Dawakin Tofa Local Government, engaged in thorough deliberations and subsequently decided to suspend the erstwhile Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in the light of the allegations of bribery involving foreign currency.
“It has come to our attention that Ganduje has been summoned to court to answer for these accusations, a development that we believe could potentially besmirch the reputation of our esteemed political party.
“Because of this, we have resolved to pass a vote of no confidence on Ganduje and to collectively, on behalf of all executive members of the APC in Ganduje ward, Dawakin Tofa, suspend him, until he clears his name and that of his family at the court.”
*APC ward, SWC in counter motions
The APC leader at Ganduje Ward expressed worries that the party was being subjected to ‘unnecessary embarrassment’ from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) over unsubstantiated allegations of corruption libelled against the Ganduje administration.
Gwanjo stressed that the Ganduje Ward leaders deemed it fit to suspend Ganduje to enable him to concentrate on the litigation and other inquiries whereby he (Ganduje) would be able to appropriately clear his image and that of his family.
The legal adviser explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had demonstrated commitment to the fight against corruption in the country, but the allegation of corruption against Ganduje might rubbish the president’s effort.
But in a swift response, the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party sanctioned the Ganduje Ward executives hours after the suspension was announced.
The state chairman of the party, Abdullahi Abbas, announced the suspension of the executives for six months for anti-party activities.
“We have evidence of meetings between the State Government officials and those that suspended the national chairman, and the state working committee has agreed to sanction them for six months and they stand suspended,” Abbas said.
He added that the suspension announced by the ward executives was invalid, null, and void and urged concerned parties to disregard it.
*Ex-Kano gov, wife, others to appear in court tomorrow over bribery allegations
Meanwhile, Ganduje will tomorrow (April 17) face charges in court tomorrow, regarding allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds, which include accusations of accepting $413,000 and N1.38bn in bribes.
Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, revealed that Ganduje, along with his wife and six others, will face arraignment in court.
Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration initiated the criminal suit against the eight respondents and has prepared 15 witnesses to testify before Justice Usman Na’aba of the state High Court in Kano.
