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ANPP lifts suspension on Bafarawa,
el-Katuzu
NDIDI OKAFOR, Abuja
NATIONAL caucus of the All Nigeria Peoples
Party (ANPP) yesterday lifted the suspension slammed on the Governor of Sokoto
State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and the National Secretary, Mallam Sani el-Katuzu.
Already, a delegation led by Chief Edwin
Ume Ezeoke had been dispatched to Sokoto to inform the governor of the latest
development.
The National Working Committee (NWC) had
on Wednesday suspended Gov. Bafarawa even as that of el-Katuzu took place last
month.
But at a press conference attended by six
out of the seven ANPP governors at the Yobe Government Lodge, Abuja, the
National Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet announced the lifting of the suspension by
the national caucus after "a meeting in my house last night."
Etiebet said the national caucus which he
said is the "highest standing organ empowered by the constitution has said we
should return to status quo ante."
Giving a breakdown of the decisions
reached by the party caucus, Etiebet said the caucus met and resolved as
follows:
•That the leadership of the party led by
Chief Don Etiebet remains intact and is under no threat.
•That the purported suspension of the
Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji (Dr.) Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa is nullified
and of no effect.
•That the suspension of the National
Secretary, Alhaji el-Katuzu, is also nullified. He should resume office
immediately and,
•That the NEC meeting of the party,
scheduled for August 9, 2004 is hereby temporarily postponed. A new date will be
announced. Any inconvenience is regretted.
Earlier in the day, a group led by Lt.
Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd), had invaded the party office announcing him as the
"acting national chairman of the party" claiming that "Etiebet is an agent."
The group identified as "Bafarawa
loyalists" led Useni into Etiebet’s office and forced him to sit down amidst
tumultuous yelling of "Up chair, up chair."
Speaking on the development, Senator Sule
Yari Ghandi (ANPP Sokoto), said "Etiebet had been suspended for his high
handedness, and we don’t want a dictator."
The Useni group also left for Sokoto to
pay what Ghandi called "a solidarity visit on His Excellency the Governor of
Sokoto State."
Capturing what transpired in the party,
Governor of Yobe State, Bukar Abba Ibrahim said: "Satan came into the party and
we have driven him away this morning. There is no problem in our party."
Gov. Ibrahim who is also the Chairman of
the party’s Reconciliation Committee said he was going to remain in Abuja till
Sunday to help soothe frayed nerves.
"I will be around till Sunday to see if
there will be any problem. But I know there is no problem because the decision
of the national caucus was unanimous, no single dissention."
Present at the press conference were Govs.
Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Sani
Yerima (Zamfara), Sen. Usman Albishir (ANPP) leader, Dr. George Mohagalu, ANPP
governorship candidate, Secretary to ANPP Board of Trustees, Alhaji Gambo Mogaji
among other party members and former senators.
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