ABUJA — NATIONAL Working Committee (NWC) of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) yesterday suspended Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa from the party with immediate effect until the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party determines his case.
The NWC, in a resolution signed by nine of its sixteen members, also recommended Governor Bafarawa for expulsion from the party “for anti-party activities contained in the complaint letter and other acts inimical to the unity and peaceful existence of the party.”
The letter of complaint dated September 3, 2004, by the Deputy National Welfare Secretary of the party from Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammed Murtala was considered by the committee yesterday in Abuja.
Those who digned the resolution are Dr. Francis Egwu, A. Adamu, Nnamdi Olebara, A. Nwogu, E. Uroh, Alhaja Halima Alfa, Yemi Sanusi, Bode Abdullahi and Douglas Namgba. National Chairman of the party, Chief Don Etiebet who received the resolution yesterday endorsed it to the NEC.
His endorsement: “National Executive Committee (NEC), I endorse the above resolutions”, adding “there are sixteen members of the NWC and nine endorsed the resolution. So, majority carried the day.”
The letter of complaint addressed to the party’s National Chairman by Alhaji Murtala contained, among others, allegations that money was being distributed by agents of the governor to solicit signatures form NEC members to effect the dissolution of the Etiebet-led NEC “without just cause.”
He also alleged in the letter that the governor has been giving money to some state chairmen on monthly basis to hold clandestine meetings with a view to factionalise the party “and generate disaffection amongst members, an activity which is capable of disrupting the peaceful, lawful and efficient organization and administration of the party.”
Bafarawa was also alleged to have campaigned and lobbied notable leaders of the party, including elected office holders and representatives to support him in his quest to remove the national chairman of the party from office “for no just cause except that the National Chairman has refused to toe his line on some of the burning issued confronting the party.”
Alhaji Murtala had called on the NWC to take immediate steps to recommend Bafarawa to NEC for expulsion, but that in the meantime, he should be placed under suspension from the party until his case was determined by the NEC consistent with the way and manner the NEC had dealt with those who were involved in similar anti-party activities in the past.
The suspension of the governor has set back alleged moves by his group within the party to dissolve the National Executive Committee of the party under the chairmanship of Chief Don Etiebet. It was learnt yesterday that five governors are now opposed to it.
The governors are Governor Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Modu Alli Sherrif (Borno), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe), Ahmad Sani (Zamfara) and Adamu Aliero (Kebbi).
Vanguard learnt yesterday in Abuja that as part of the grand plan to take over the party ahead of the 2007 presidential contest, the group had perfected arrangements to cause the removal of Vice Admiral August Aikhomu as chairman of the party’s board of trustees.
The Bafarawa group had favoured the suspended Cross River State chairman of the party, Mr. Ebuka Ayuk to replace Etiebet while the former national chairman of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Alli was being favoured to replace Aikhomu.
But opposition by the other governors, as learnt yesterday, was the saving grace for the party and the Etiebet-led NEC, which might have ended up in the complete take-over by the Bafarawa group. Bafarawa, according to feelers, is interested in the party’s presidential ticket in 2007.
