THE factional leader of the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, Senator Kabiru Marafa, has dismissed threats by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led national caretaker committee to expel him and his supporters from the party.
Marafa while dismissing the threat issued by the National Secretary of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, on Wednesday, said, the only way the party could redeem itself was to return to the path of constitutionality.
He said, “Expelling me from the party will only aggravate the problem, it will herald the beginning of the agitation; rule of law must be respected.
“The committee is illegal and alien to the constitution of the party, we are building everything on nothing. Rather than the expulsion threat, the committee or the chairman should respond to issues I raised.
“What our party constitution says renders the Buni- committee null and void. Section 17 (4) of the constitution of our beloved party, says ‘no officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position in government concurrently. Article 20 states the only way the leadership of the party can evolve.
“Section 13.3(iv) which was relied upon to create the illegal body called CECPC talked about the power of NEC to create committees.
“APC is a political party not a committee, committees are created to serve a specific function not to usurp the powers of the entire legal entity.
“The function of the Mai Mala committee is to plan a convention just as its name implies, Mai Mala is the chairman of the APC convention planning committee and not APC itself.”
In response, Akpanudoedehe said, “We are not abusive to any member of our party, we are too mature to go into personal response.
“Our interest is in the general public and then the party. We are not going to go back and forth with anybody. Any information that is given out, we are duty bound to respond by stating the fact as it is. I will not descend to the level where Marafa talks, I reply, I’m not going to do that.
“I have never been personal with anybody, he can abuse me, my duty is to explain to the public, my interest is to give balanced information for the public to see whether we are saying the truth or not. That’s all.”
