Niger APC disowns minister-designate, threatens defection

By Saka Bolaji, Minna

The Niger state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has disowned the state minister- designate, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, calling on the Presidency to withdraw his nomination or the party faces massive defection from its fold ahead of the local government election in the state.

This threat was contained in the resolution of the expanded APC state working committee meeting held at the party secretariat and made available to journalists yesterday.

In the resolution signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Idris Abini, the party expressed disappointment at the action of Governor Abubakar Sani -Bello for failing to consult the party and acted alone by nominating a non- party member for ministerial appointment.

The state APC said Amb. Zubairu Dada belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP0 and campaigned against the APC and its candidates in the last general elections.

It also observed with dismay that the minister- designate and Senator Mohammed Sani Musa are from the same Paikoro Local Government, ward and polling unit thereby, contravening the party’s constitution.

Consequently, expanded meeting attended by all the 25 local government party chairmen and secretaries, called for the minister-designate to be replaced with an APC member who worked to ensure the party’s victory at the last elections.

“That urgent steps should be taken by President Muhammadu Buhari, who is known for his sense of honesty, integrity and desire for justice, to quickly remedy the situation and follow the earlier nomination of the party to forestall the threat of mass decamping from the APC in Niger state.

“Since the same scenario played out in 2015 and was reversed, it is also fair that this should be reversed in the spirit of justice and equity. That urgent step is taken to forestall the adverse effects on the party in subsequent elections in the state, especially now that the local government elections are around the corner as loyal and committed party members may feel unappreciated and work against the party,” it advised.

The state chapter of the APC in the resolution further accused Gov. Sani- Bello of not treating party members fairly by appointing opposition PDP members into various positions even when he knew the same people challenged his election and that of the President.