By Our Correspondent
Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir a former Minister and current National Vice Chairman ,North West of the All Progressives Congress APC is locked in a big fight back after some people questioned his loyalty to the party recently. Facts exclusively obtained by Newsdiaryonline indicate that this political ‘fight’ broke out after the group of people Abdulkadir called ‘nameless’ accused him of anti-party activity.
According to a letter seen by Newsdiaryonline dated 2nd November, 2018 addressed to the chairman of Magajin Gari ‘A’ ward of APC in Sokoto , Abdulkadir alleged that he had earlier received a letter inviting him to appear before a Disciplinary committee purportedly set up by the ward signed by a chairman and secretary he described as “nameless.”
But in a reply exclusively obtained by Newsdiaryonline, Nasiru Abubakar Udu (T.V) chairman and 13 other ward exco members of APC IN Magajin Gari A ward have in a fresh twist, dissociated themselves from the alleged complaint against Abdulkadir. In their reply addressed to the National Vice Chairman, North West dated 3rd November 2018, the ward exco members said inter- alia: “We wish to inform you and indeed all concerned that at no time since our election as executive of APC for Magajin Gari A ward ,had any meeting,nor did we receive any complain against you or any of our party member.
“Therefore, we disassociate ourselves from any action purportedly taken by any Disciplinary Committee against you in the name of Magajin Gari “A” ward.”
Newsdiaryonline reports that the unfolding drama is a fallout of the defection saga that hit the APC recently well before the Presidential primaries. Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State was one of those who defected to PDP. Also caught in the defection drama were Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who eventually clinched the PDP presidential ticket, among other. But it is Tambuwal’s defection that is still rocking the APC in Sokoto State.
It was learnt that prior to his defection,Tambuwal and Abdulkadir were close political associates. However, the latter evidently did not agree to ditch the APC along with the governor. One source close to Abdulkadir expressed surprise that despite his refusal to go along with Tambuwal, his loyalty to the APC was still being questioned.
Details of Abdulkadir’s travails were captured in his letter to the Chairman of APC Magajin Gari “A”ward . He said the letter inviting him to appear before a disciplinary panel though dated 22nd October 2018, reached him(Abdulkadir) only on 31/10/2018 because it was delivered to the zonal administrative secretary in Kaduna “who in turn communicated same to me that one Sabi’u sent by Dr Yakubu Maccido brought a message (complain letter)against me but could not delivered (sic)”
According to Abdulkadir: “ A cursory examination of the complain letter reveals that it is an invitation to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the All Progressives Congress of Magajin Gari”A” Ward on 30th October,2018 to answer to sundry allegations against my person.The letter was signed by nameless persons who purported to be chairman and Secretary of the said Disciplinary Committee.”
After addressing several allegations against him, the former minister hit the bull’s eye on the two complaints which charge him “with allegiance to His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Matawallen Sokoto.” According to him: “The grounds given for these complaints are that I have not made a public statement denouncing His Excellency and I have not resigned my appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Sokoto State University.”
Abdulkadir said further: “First, I am not aware that any person or member or officer of the Party at any level is required either by law or the Party Constitution to make a so-called public declaration or denunciation of allegiance to any State Governor. Can someone help me with such provision if it exists? I am also not aware that the complainant and/or any other member/officer of the Sokoto State Chapter of the Party made any public statement denouncing so-called allegiance to His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminnu waziri Tambuwal, Matawallen Sokoto.
“Having said that, I wish to state that I have no occasion to make any so-called public denunciation of allegiance to His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu waziri Tambuwal, Matawallen Sokoto and have no intention to do so anytime in the foreseeable future. The reason is simple: I have never sworn allegiance to any Governor past or present. The law and Constitution of our Party does not place that obligation on me or any other party member to do so as well.
“The few occasions that I have had cause to swear allegiance in the course of offices that it has pleased Almighty Allah to have me hold to in the course of my life, I have sworn allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. Both of these are ideals, not individuals!
“On the complaint of my retention of my appointment as the Chairman Governing Council of the Sokoto State University, I quickly state that the University is neither owned by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu waziri Tambuwal, Matawallen Sokoto, nor owned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to which he has defected. The University is property of the government and People of Sokoto State whose interest our Party has declared an intention to serve.
“If anything, it should be the Governor Tambuwal and/or his new Party members, rather than APC members, who should be apprehensive that I, being an APC member, would not properly serve the interests of their party in my capacity as Chairman Governing Council of the University. This is a typical case of one crying more than the bereaved!
“Finally on this complaint of failure to resign as Chairman Governing Council, I state that no law, Party Constitution or Rule obliges me to resign the said appointment upon the defection of the appointing Governor. I further stand to be contradicted.
Abdulkadir further said “I hope I have adequately, addressed all the complaints. I am yet available upon reasonable notice to shed more light on any grey areas that the disciplinary committee may identify.
Permit me, to state here that I am aware that the these complaint was instigated as part of a grand design of a campaign of calumny against my person by a particular person who finds my principled position on matters concerning the Party in the Sokoto State personally uncomfortable to him. The same person worked to scuttle my re-election as National Vice Chairman Northwest Zone by sponsoring rival candidates against me.
“But I like to sound a note of warning here and now, that I shall henceforth not condone any blackmail or slandering of my name or reputation by any member no matter how well or highly placed he assumed to be. If any person in the Party has an axe to grind with me let him come out openly and draw the line and stop using faceless proxies to smear me. Those in glass houses must, of necessity, avoid throwing stones,”Abdulkadir said.
