By Amuda Dan Sulaiman FAB, Lokoja.
The crisis in the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC took another twist on Monday, with the Lokoja Local Government, Ward ‘D’ executive of the party announcing the indefinite suspension of its Ward chairman, Abdullahi Maikudi Bature for alleged anti-party conducts and other offences.
A statement jointly signed by the Ward Vice Chairman, Abubakar Shariff Hassan and Youth Leader, Mahmud Inuwa Muhammed, said the decision to suspend Bature was taken at an emergency Ward executive meeting of the party after due consultations with its senior officials and elders in the ward.
Hassan and Muhammed, said, “We took the painful but necessary decisions to suspend our Ward chairman, Abdullahi Maikudi Bature,” pending the investigation of the cases brought against him, including anti-party activities, attempt to form a parallel executive committee in the Ward and corruption.
On anti-party conducts, the party said, “We have it on good record that Bature, last week Tuesday precisely, paid a clandestine visit to one of the Kogi Western Senatorial District leaders of the PDP; this is just one of the series of correspondences between them and we find it grossly unbecoming.
It said the action of Bature, who is also a local government chairmanship aspirants was in direct breach of Article 21 under ‘Offences’ in the party constitution which states in section 2, ‘Anti-Party activities or any conduct, which is likely to embarrass or have adverse effect on the party or bring the party into hatred, contempt, ridicule or disrepute’ is punishable.
It also said by trying to form a parallel executive committee, Mr. Bature’s action “is in complete defiance of Article 21, under offences which states, ‘Fictionalization or creating parallel party organs at any level’ is punishable by the extremists of means.”
The party said that Bature’s “antics betrays the present posture of Buhari’s regime which has cardinal virtues of honesty, sincerity and transparency.”
The statement also accused Mr, Bature of engaging in corruption, indiscipline and trading of political offices.
“We find it deeply embarrassing his relentless efforts to commercialize political offices,” it said.
“Worse still, is that, members of the opposition who vehemently stood against the change ideal and still do not believe in our party’s course are with him on the bargaining table.
“This is not in fidelity with the party’s constitution which states in Article 21, section 1, subsection 3 of the party constitution.”
The party said it tried to advise Mr. Bature on the dangers of his behaviours to no avail.
“We have tried on countless occasions to advise him on the dangers of his untoward behaviours, but each time we are faced with threats and insults,” the statement said.
“The party will not tolerate acts of indiscipline from anyone no matter how highly placed the individual.”
The APC explained that Mr. Bature was suspended in order “to save the image of the party and restore confidence among members,” adding that the committee that would investigate the allegations against the Ward chairman would be inaugurated soon.
