…As Kaduna governor threatens to beat-up chairman
By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
The North-west zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Narsir El-Rufai and a former state Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, calling on the duo to ensure decorum as regards some of the disagreements rocking the state.
National vice chairman of the party, Inuwa Abdul-Kadir, had also alleged that Mallam El-rufai threatened to “beat him up”.
Abdul-Kadir, who addressed a news conference at the weekend in Abuja over some of the allegations raised against him by the zonal Woman Leader, Hajia Aishat Kaita, alleged that he embezzled campaign funds among others, revealed that both Kwankwaso and El-rufai were behind his ordeal.
Speaking on the crisis rocking the party in Kaduna state, the zonal chairman revealed that “on several occasions, I had meetings with him (El-Rufai) where as the leader of the party in the zone made passionate appeal for him to take leadership and drive a process that harmonise, reconcile and solidify the party in the state.
“One of such occasions, the appeal I made was in the presence of other governors from the zone in his office but his reaction was volatile and he threatened to beat me up and prevent me from coming into Kaduna.
“I kept my calm as a leader considering the volatility of Kaduna and the attendant threat it poses viz-a-vize the tremendous goodwill and support the part is enjoying in Kaduna state.”
When asked what was the motive of the accused persons, the zonal chairman said: “they are playing politics and I have some constraints as a leader of the party leading members in my zone so I don’t really need to go into details of what they intend to achieve, whatever they intend to achieve either with me or anybody, I am appealing to every member of our party to be law abiding and to be very responsive and responsible in the conduct of this game of politics.
“I am supposed to be a rallying point within our party so I try to detach my personal interests where I have one, because of my duty and responsibility as a leader of the party in the zone.
“I think whatever their motive is, there is a better way to conduct themselves and pursue their person interests within the party and even outside the party. They have aspirations which they are entitled to and they can aspire to whatever office they wish in accordance with the constitution of our party and that of the land.
“There must, however, be decorum. Our party will not accept a lawless situation and we will not encourage anything that will bring about disharmony among our members. It is legitimate for anybody to aspire to any office he wants, I repeat.”
On the allegation of embarrassment, the APC chieftain said “I wish to state here that the only funds that were disbursed to the zone were done through the party account which was opened and operated at the instance of the party’s National Secretariat.”
He added that since 2015 up till date he has been spending his personal money to maintain the zonal office and the party vehicle.
He, however, declared that he was not against political ambition of both Senator Kwankwaso and El-Rufai but the duo should allow peace to reign in the party.
