Two top
leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State boycotted
the party’s ward congress held on Saturday.
The former
governor of Kano State and senator representing Kano central, Rabiu
Kwankwaso,
and the deputy governor of Kano State, Hafiz Abubakar, boycotted the Saturday
APC ward congress.
The ward
congress at Madobi, the local government of Mr Kwankwaso was supervised by his
political rival, Kano State’s Commissioner for Rural and Community Development,
Musa Kwankwaso.
The
commissioner visited some wards to observe the congress where he hailed APC
members for orderly conduct.
However, the
media aide to the former governor, Binta Sipikin, told PREMIUM TIMES that the
APC members loyal to Mr. Kwankwaso conducted separate congresses in 484 wards
of Kano State.
She accused
the media of not covering their congress, adding that they are now compiling
the result for onward submission to APC national headquarters, an indication
that the fictionalisation of the party will continue.
The Kano State
Deputy Governor, Hafiz Abubakar, was also not sighted at the Saturday’s ward
congress in his Mandawari ward of Gwale Local Government Area.
The deputy
governor complained in the media when his younger brother was removed from the
chairmanship of APC in Mandawari ward in Gwale.
Although
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje directed the reinstatement of the deputy governor’s
brother, Saturday’s ward congress showed the emergence of one Salisu Sani as
the elected chairman of Mandawari ward.
Mr Abubakar
has not officially provided any reason for his boycott of the congress amidst
speculations he is a loyalist of Mr Kwankwaso.
The state
government is, however, unperturbed by the boycott and has described the
congress as successful.
A statement
signed by the chief press secretary to Mr Ganduje, Abba Anwar, said the
governor described the ward congress as a unifying factor for the party at all
levels, emphasising that, “Ours is to foster unity in democracy, for the
overall development of our nation.”
After
commending the party members for the peaceful conduct of the congress, Mr
Ganduje said the way the congress was conducted was a clear indication that the
people had accepted the party in all the 44 local governments in the state.
“The turn
out is so encouraging, apart from being peaceful. This clearly indicates that
APC’s performance in governance is being acknowledged and appreciated by
Nigerians,” he added.
He called on
the elected executive members of the party to remember that APC is a people-oriented
party that believes in good service delivery in governance.
The
congress, according to the governor, shows that Kano State is still intact for
President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I urge you,
as newly elected leaders of our great party, to ensure justice and fairness in
all your dealings. I also urge you and other members of our great party, the
APC, to work hard and see that the remaining Congresses are peaceful and
successful,” he said.
Mr Ganduje
was deputy to Mr Kwankwaso when the latter was governor. Since Mr Ganduje
emerged governor, however, both men have become rivals splitting the party in
the state into two factions.
All efforts
by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC national headquarters to resolve the
crisis have failed.
Kano, the
most populous state in Northern Nigeria, is also the state where President
Buhari got his highest votes in the 2015 election.
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