Crisis on Thursday rocked the All Progressives Congress in Niger State as aggrieved members passed a vote of no-confidence on the Chairman, Alhaji Jibrin Imam; Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Liman; and Treasurer, Dr. Shafi Abdulsalami.
The embattled Chairman, the Secretary and Treasurer were accused of gross misdemeanour, abuse of office, financial recklessness and diversion of over N872 million.
The diversion of the funds was said to have been between 2014 and 2019.
It was gathered that 22 Local Government Chairmen, 25 secretaries and 27 out of the 33-member State Executive Committee met at the Haske Luxury Hotel in Minna on Thursday afternoon, where they reportedly sacked the three officers.
However, in a swift reaction, Imam described those that took the action as “jokers”, saying “they have no legal right to take such action”.
However, those at the meeting, presided over by the state Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Ali Kapenter, replaced the embattled Chairman with Alhaji Aliyu Saidu Galkogo, while Sulaiman Abdullahi, Assistant State Youth Leader, replaced Liman as Secretary and Abdusalami was replaced as Treasurer by Saidu Madaki from the Wushishi Local Government Area.
The meeting was however held in the absence of the leader of the party in the State and Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who has been in a reconciliation committee meeting in Edo State.
While confirming the incident, a Zonal Youth Leader in Zone A, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu, who attended the meeting, said: “Our decision is backed by the national headquarters of our party.
“The National Secretariat had directed all states with crisis to go and resolve their disputes internally.”
Imam however said: “The meeting was illegal.
“They don’t have any constitutional right to summon such meeting.
“I am the person allowed by law to call any meeting.
“Nobody presented any allegation before me nor was I invited to face any panel.
“It was a kangaroo meeting.”
Imam insisted also “that they didn’t exhaust all avenues provided by the party constitution.
“Aside from this, the case they are talking about is still in court.
“They have only taken the laws into their hands.
“I am still the Chairman, the Secretary is still the Secretary and the Treasurer is still the Treasurer.
“Nobody has removed us.
“We are all in the office.”
Reacting also, Liman maintained that the state party executives remained intact, unshakable and nothing has changed, urging those arrogating powers to themselves to refrain from such illegality, noting that the chairman will in due course address all party members in the state.
He said: “Our removal is null and void because a case was filed on the same issue at the High Court in Bida by one Suleiman Abdullahi (State Assistant Youth Leader) and another against the said three officials who have gone ahead and constituted themselves as acting Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, thereby taking laws into his hands.”
