Former
Zamfara senator, Kabiru Marafa, on Sunday, questioned the legitimacy of the
Yobe State Governor, Mala Buni, to oversee the affairs of the party while
serving as the executive governor of Yobe State. At a press conference in Abuja
on Sunday, Mr Marafa said Governor Mala Buni of Yobe State cannot operate as a
governor and at the same time chairman of the party.
The
Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was constituted
in 2020 after the controversial exit of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National
Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Mr.
Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central in the upper chamber for eight years,
said he would be heading to court to challenge the legality of the committee
and the appointment of Mr Buni as chairman.
“Mai
Mala Buni’s CECPC is an illegal committee. It cannot conduct anything. Whatever
it does is a nullity and it cannot stand in this country. We are going to
challenge him on that in court and I don’t care what anyone will say. Buni
looked for my trouble and I will give him ten times of that.
“The
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear that you cannot
hold an executive position and hold party position at the same time. Our APC
constitution is also very clear in Article 2 which is the supremacy of the
constitution.
“In
Section 17(4), it says no officer of the party shall hold any executive
position in government concurrently with the party position. He is an Executive
Governor.
“He
cannot be the Chairman of APC and if he can, let the courts tell us. I am going
to court, I am going to challenge that.
“And
whatever he did from the time he was appointed to this time will be questioned.
We have one APC.
“Remove
this man so that he doesn’t bring everybody down. I am on a salvage mission.
“Article
20 of the same constitution says all party posts prescribed by this
constitution shall be filled by democratically conducted elections at a
respective national convention or congress subject where possible to reach
consensus.
“Who
elected Buni and his committee? At which convention or congress? Are we
throwing away this constitution?
“Then
the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Ondo election is a clear indication of
where APC is headed but because some people who have never gone to school but
who God has elevated to certain positions have forgotten how they got to the
positions.
“For
God sake and with all sense of modesty, I and Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna State
almost single-handedly with the help of some people made Buni the National
Secretary of the party some years ago.
“We
will force him to resign and I am sure the President will also do that,” he
added.
The
issue of the legality of the CECPC was raised earlier in the year by Minister
of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, presidential aide, Babafemi
Ojudu and former senator, Ita Enang.
The
party at the Supreme Court narrowly got a verdict in favour of the Ondo State
Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, when the legitimacy of the party chairman that
approved his candidacy was tested in the court.
Mamman
Mohammed, the spokesperson to the Yobe Governor, in a rebuttal issued on Sunday
night, described Mr Marafa’s statement as “nothing but an empty ranting of an
ant.”
He
noted that the criticism of his boss by the party chieftain is an outburst from
the latter’s loss at the last congress held in Zamfara State.
“He
described the Zamfara Congress as illegality, if it is so, why did he participate
and if he is in doubt of the party’s leadership why did he adhere to every
directive it issued?
“He is
only complaining now because his camp failed the congress and lost out. He
wouldn’t have been shouting if he had won. Marafa is a sinking politician who
lost out and held everyone responsible for his self-inflicted political
misfortune. As a responsible politician, he should just approach the court and
stop being the complainant and juror,” Mr Mohammed said.
With
Mr Marafa’s threats, the polarisation of the party in the state may be far from
over despite the defection of the incumbent governor, Bello Matawalle to the
party from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
(TODAY.NG)
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