…as State Working Committee fires back, thwarts suspension moves
‘Stripped of immunity following the expiration of his governorship tenure in May 2023, Mr Ganduje is left vulnerable to answer the corruption charges against him, which already has 15 witnesses willing to testify against him at the Kano High Court’ -Ward Leader
“We have evidence of meetings between the state government officials and those that suspended the National Chairman. The state working committee has agreed to sanction them for six months and they stand now suspended.”– State Working Committee
Abdullah Ganduje, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s national chairman, has been suspended by executive members of his ward.
Haruna Gwanjo, leader of Ganduja Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, announced the former governor’s suspension in a press briefing on Monday.
Mr Gwanjo said Mr Ganduje was suspended for the former Kano State governor to clear his name in allegations of corruption.
Last week, it was reported that Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration filed at least eight criminal charges against Mr Ganduje, his predecessor and chair of the ruling APC, for allegedly stealing N5.6 billion from Kano’s coffers and taking bribes from public works contractors totalling almost half a million dollars.
Stripped of immunity following the expiration of his governorship tenure in May 2023, Mr Ganduje is left vulnerable to answer the corruption charges against him, which already has 15 witnesses willing to testify against him at the Kano High Court.
In 2018, a series of videos published by Daily Nigerian showed Mr Ganduje flashing a broad smile as he stashed wads of American dollars in his babanriga, a long, flowing, traditional embroidered robe commonly worn by men in the northern region. The outfit is known to have deep, large pockets.
Before now, Adams Oshimhole, former APC chair, was likewise suspended by his ward. Mr Oshimhole’s suspension marked the end of his leadership of the ruling party after legal battles.
…Kano APC counter Ganduje’s purported suspension, sacks Ward leaders
The All Progressives Congress, APC, state working committee in Kano, has taken drastic measures against some Ward Party Leaders who suspended the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.
APC Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government was said to have suspended Ganduje but in a quick counter, the party’s local government officials thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind it.
The APC Dawakin Tofa Local Government Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told Newsmen that those behind the suspension of the National Chairman were caught in anti-party activities and their records of meetings with the opposition, exposed.
Adopting the suspension of the APC Ward APC leaders, the state working committee of the Party said they have sanctioned the perpetrators for six months and a special investigations panel has been set up to verify several allegations against them.
The Kano Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Abbas, said the decisions of the LG Party Leaders have since been adopted.
“We have evidence of meetings between the state government officials and those that suspended the National Chairman. The state working committee has agreed to sanction them for six months and they stand now suspended.”