A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kano, Engr. Muaz Magaji Dawakin has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw his support from the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as his continuous stay as the National Chairman of the party will adversely affect the masses support to the APC-led administration.
Engr. Magaji Dawakin Tofa, former political ally and kinsman of Ganduje, said the former Governor has lost political credibility and should be allowed to resign for new blood to inject fresh air into the APC leadership at the national level.
The APC Chieftain who served as Commissioner for Works during Ganduje’s administration, said even before the suspension of Ganduje by the leadership of Ganduje Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, Ganduje’s time to leave the stage as APC National Chairman was long overdue.
According to him, “I know Ganduje very well. He is my kinsman and I served under him as Commissioner. I have never believed that he has required pedigree to serve as APC National Chairman in the first place.
“I am of the opinion that President Tinubu’s administration and the APC as a party need a generational change. People like Ganduje should not only resign, but retire from politics and allow the younger generation with focus to pilot the affairs of the party.
“I read in the news that he has been suspended by the party at the Ward level, I also read that there was a denial of his suspension from the Local Government and state levels. I am not in town. I am a party chieftain, when I return I will find out the bone of contention from both parties, but my take is that Ganduje should voluntarily resign to allow a party to have a new direction.”
Engr. Magaji Dawakin Tofa who said Ganduje should be allowed to defend himself over allegations of bribery and financial misappropriation, insisted that even without such cases against him, Ganduje was not fit to serve as the National Chairman of APC.
Also reacting to the suspension of Ganduje as the APC National Chairman, a former leader of the party in Sabon Gari, Hon. Kingsley Onyekachi Godwin, hailed the leadership of APC in Ganduje Ward for exhibiting the courage to suspend him from the party, following the gravity of corruption charges levelled against him at the court.
Hon. Kingsley Onyekachi Godwin who revealed that his exit from APC to Labour Party (LP), was as a result of injustice meted to some members, ”by Ganduje and his boys during his time as Governor of Kano state,” said in civilised society, people like Ganduje should not be allowed to hold public office after his ‘dirty’ political escapades as Governor of Kano state.
The LP chieftain who was the party’s House of Assembly candidate for Fagge Constituency during the last general election further hailed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for setting up the Commission of Inquiry to recover looted government properties in the last administration.
According to him, “Though we are in the Labour Party, we admire with joy the leadership style exhibited by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. We are in total support of his decision to probe the financial dealings of the immediate-past administration, including the recovery of stolen government property. This shows that he has the interest of the people at heart.
“For the eight to nine months he has been piloting the affairs of Kano state, Governor Yusuf has shown love and compassion to the people. And I want to use this opportunity to say that we are solidly behind him. We are closely watching his giant strides in all sectors of the economy, and don’t be surprised to hear our official announcement as part and parcel of his government very soon.”
Reacting also, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka in a statement yesterday described the alleged suspension of the National Chairman as the devious act of a group of impersonators of Ward officials out to cause mischief and create confusion.
The statement read thus: “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to media reports of the purported suspension of the National Chairman, HE Dr. Abdulahi 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 New Nigeria People Party (NNPP).
“This act procured by officials of the ruling NNPP in Kano is part of the despicable program of political persecution launched by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf against Dr. 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.
“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. We urge our Party faithful and the general public to disregard reports of the suspension of the National Chairman who is, and remains, the National Chairman of our great Party.”
