As Senator Shehu Sani resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in reaction to APC’s failure to submit his name to INEC as its candidate for Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, ABDULRAHEEM AODU examines the issues and impact of his exit from the ruling party ahead of 2019 general elections.
Shehu Sani resigns from APC
Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly last Saturday resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The resignation letter, which he sent to the party leadership in Tudun Wada ward six, his ward, reads in part, “I present to you my highest compliments and wish by this communication to formally offer to you my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I have joined the APC and remained with it against all odds in the belief that it will consider a veritable platform for the realization of those democratic ideas which I hold very dear, that honour and integrity will be the ultimate ethos of the party and, most importantly, that internal party democracy will always be the norm.
“However, only posterity can affirm the extent to which the APC has committed to and reflected these values. As I exit the APC at this time, I wish to formally thank the party for availing me the platform upon which I am currently serving this country in the honoured capacity of Senator of the Federal Republic.”
Sani joins PRP
Three days after dumping the APC, Sen. Shehu Sani on Tuesday joined the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), as revealed in a statement by his Special Adviser on Political and Ideology, Mr Suleiman Ahmed.
Suleiman said that “It has become impossible for the Senator to continue to co-habit with reactionaries and their perfidious and inimical style of politics.
“Sen. Sani maintains the highest respect and honour for President Muhammadu Buhari. However, we prefer to live in a cottage of honour than a mansion of shame.
“Senator Shehu Sani has returned to the PRP. The PRP represents our socialist revolutionary ideology. Senator Sani is now free from the toxicity and infamy the APC existentially represents. We left the APC for the emperors and their lackeys,” Suleiman added.
Confirming the development, the Kaduna state chairman of the PRP, Dr Tom Maiyashi, said the lawmaker had been duly registered and offered membership card of the party.
He added that “Senator Shehu Sani has registered with the party and his ward is Kaduna South.’’
The circumstances
As the 2019 general elections approach, four aspirants were angling for the APC senatorial ticket for Kaduna Central senatorial zone; former caretaker chairman of Kaduna North local government area, Hon. Ibrahim Usman (Sardauna Badarawa) and Malam Shamsudeen Shehu Giwa.
Other aspirants were the immediate past senator who lost the 2015 primary to the incumbent, Gen. Mohammed Sani Saleh (retd), Political Adviser to Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state, Malam Uba Sani, as well as the incumbent, Senator Shehu Sani.
While, Senator Shehu Sani was favoured by the party national leadership and the presidency, considering his power of incumbency and popularity within the seven local government areas that constitutes the central senatorial zone, Governor Nasir el-Rufai and the Kaduna state APC leadership rooted for Uba Sani.
Ahead of the party primaries, the five aspirants were screened by the party national leadership following which Senator Shehu Sani was reportedly the only aspirant that was successfully screened by the party, while the remaining four aspirants were screened out. Shehu Sani was later offered the party’s automatic senatorial ticket.
When Uba Sani got wind of Shehu Sani being offered the party’s automatic ticket, he headed to Kaduna State High Court on Wednesday October 3rd, 2018 three days before the party primaries, to challenge the party decision by seeking injunction against the APC fielding any candidate for the senatorial election.
In a suit filed at the Kaduna State High Court, Uba Sani urged the court to restrain the ruling APC from conducting the primary election to select the party’s candidate for the Kaduna Central senatorial zone.
The court, while ruling on the ex-parte motion filed by Uba Sani, ordered the APC, its chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, INEC and Shehu Sani, to maintain the status-quo prior to 2nd October 2018, when the APC national chairman ‘unlawfully’ excluded Uba Sani and other aspirants from the contest in favour of one aspirant.
The court then adjourned the matter to October 15th, 2018 but before the date, Uba Sani on Friday, October 5th, 2018 went back to the court to withdraw the case and allow status quo to continue after realising that he may still pursue his ambition in the party.
Uba Sani defeats Shehu Sani in APC primary
Having withdrawn the suit on Friday, Uba Sani went ahead to defeat Sen. Shehu Sani, who was absent, and the other contenders in the APC primary election held that Saturday at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua indoor hall, Murtala Square, Kaduna.
Uba Sani scored 2,088 votes out of 2,383 votes to win the party’s ticket, while Shehu Sani scored 15 votes. Chairman of the primary election committee, Hon. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, said, Usman Ibrahim came second with 129 votes, Sani Saleh scored 55 votes, while Shamsudeen Shehu Giwa polled six votes. There were 35 invalid votes.
After the primary election that was held in deference to the automatic ticket issued to Senator Shehu Sani by the party national secretariat, the incumbent senator decided to distance himself from the Senatorial primaries.
Blueprint recalls that Governor el-Rufai had kicked against automatic ticket issued to Senator Shehu Sani and insisted on direct primary method.
Issues with El Rufai
The senatorial primary came at the height of three and half years of face-off between Shehu Sani and Governor Nasir El-Rufai over government policies and political differences. The quarrel, which started barely few months into this administration, led to the suspension of Senator Shehu Sani by the party hierarchy in Kaduna state in December 2015.
The initial suspension became indefinite few months later, all for alleged anti-party activities and acts deemed to be against the party’s tenets. The rancour kept expanding despite various interventions by party zonal and national leaderships.
However, the failure by National Assembly to approve the $350 million World Bank loan that the el-Rufai administration sought for the development of health, education and infrastructure sectors of the state, makes their crisis irredeemable and their grievances seemingly irreconcilable.
Senator Sani, who is the chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Debts, is believed to have instigated National Assembly’s refusal in tandem with the other two Senators from the state.
Thus, the need by the el-Rufai government to find a replacement for the senator, “who doesn’t want the best for them” and who is antagonizing them at every opportunity. Uba Sani is seen as the man who can take that position and ‘fight for the loan’.
Initial rumoured defection
Senator Sani was believed to have worked in cahoots with the APC Akida and APC Restoration Group to defect from the APC following their disagreements with el-Rufai and the party executives but it seemed after joining other APC senators in meeting with APC national leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa and having his hand raised by the President, he was assured of being given the party’s ticket and decided to stay back.
The other aggrieved members, who defected from the APC felt betrayed by Senator Shehu Sani. Interestingly, Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside Hon. Isah Ashiru and a host of others, while Maitamaki Tom Maiyashin decamped to PRP.
Impact of Sani’s defection on APC in 2019
Shehu Sani’s defection to the PRP will most likely have impact on the APC’s chances in the 2019 general elections, according to political pundits, who believed that as an activist, he has a support base that cuts across the state.
Though, it is not sure if Shehu Sani will be handed the PRP senatorial ticket for the 2019 polls, but it seems the APC is more popular than the PRP in Kaduna state and the ruling party seems the favourite to win four of the seven local government areas within the Central senatorial zone; Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi and Kaduna North.
APC is expected to win many votes in Kaduna South but may not sweep Chikun and Kajuru local government areas.
Also, the fact that the presidential election will take place same time as the National Assembly elections will give APC candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives much advantage in the first five local government areas listed above.
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Though, it is not sure if Shehu Sani will be handed the PRP senatorial ticket for the 2019 polls, but it seems the APC is more popular than the PRP in Kaduna state and the ruling party seems the favourite to win four of the seven local government areas within the Central senatorial zone; Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi and Kaduna North.
