Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Alhaji Haliru Zakari Jikantoro has been suspended from the party in the state for supporting the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and disregarding the constitution of the party.
This is coming barely seven days after the Presidential and the National Assembly elections.
The Chairman was suspended from the party by the Kashini Ward Executives of the party in Agwara local government area of the state, accusing him of violating and disregarding the constitution of the party.
The party Ward Executives further accused the embattled chairman of engaging in anti-party activities during the just concluded Presidential election by secretly working for the Presidential candidate of the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In a letter of susupension dated March 2nd, 2023, signed by the 21 member executives and addresed to Agwara local government chairman of the party, a copy which was made available to Journalists in Minna on Friday, the Party Ward Executive said the chairman was suspended for violating and flagrant disregards to the party’s constitution.
The party in the letter of suspension equally accused the Chairman of involving himself in act which the party said was capable of undermining the success of the party during the just concluded Presidential and the National Assembly elections in the state.
According to the party, “it is on record that Hon. Haliru Zakeri Jikantoro has been indulging in anti-party activities by canvassing votes for the Peoples Democratic Party for the Presidential and National Assembly elections”.
Hon. Jikantoro is also being accused of his refusal to call for stakeholders’ meeting of the Ward and local government; in addition to his refusal to consult with party stakeholders before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, a pointer that he was secretly working for the opposition party.
Efforts to get the reactions of the suspended chairman could not yield any results as all his phone lines were switched off.
Also the Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Musa Sarkin kaji could not respond to several calls put across to him for his reactions.
The suspension of the party chairman is coming barely one week after the party suspended a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Sani Bello Mustapha AKA Sani Basket, an Uncle to the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello from the party, accusing him of anti-party activates.
The suspended party Chieftain was accused of working and opely campaigning for the Presidential Candiadate of the main opposition party, the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other candidates of the PDP in the state in last Saturday elections.
In a letter of suspension by the APC Central Ward Kontagora and signed by the Ward Chairman and Secretary, Alhaji Hamza Magidad and Alhaji Abdullahi Kira, respectively, accused Sani Bello Mustafa of anti party activities.
Parts of the four paragraph suspension letter, reads: “our collective resolution to suspend aforesaid member from the party is due to anti party activities i.e. campaigning against the party which is capable of tarnishing the good image of the party”.
