APC ward executives accused of receiving N3 million bribe ‘suspend’ Nigerian senator

Two days after they were accused of being monetarily induced to suspend a lawmaker, a faction of the APC in a Kaduna ward has suspended Shehu Sani.

The APC faction in Tudun Wada, Ward 6, Tuesday, announced the “suspension” of Mr. Sani who represents Kaduna Central in the senate. They said they suspended the lawmaker, who is from the ward, indefinitely.

A similar suspension by the faction in December last year was declared null and void by the national secretariat of the party.

Led by the ward secretary, Awwal Abdulhamid, the faction on Tuesday said Mr. Sani did not show any remorse after his previous suspension.

“As you are aware, your suspension from the party for a period of eleven months elapsed today, being Tuesday 29th November, 2016.

“The suspension which was in line with the constitution of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), was to enable you to defend yourself against illegalities committed by you against the party as well as breach of its constitution.

“We expected the period of your suspension to give you the grace of being remorseful, but you rather choose to play otherwise, and this made our party to be vulnerable to disunity, disharmony and further shattering the existing peace mechanism within our ward and the state at large.

“Therefore, in consideration of the constitutional provisions as contained in Article 21 (A) i, ii, iii, v, vi, and vii of the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), you are hereby suspended indefinitely from active participation of APC activities. This is in conformity with article 21 (D) i-(F) which provides punishment for any erring member of the party,” they said.

Seventeen executive members of the party in the ward including Mr. Abdulhamid signed the suspension notice.

BRIBED TO ACT

Earlier on Sunday, the chairman of the APC in the ward 6, Abbas Anni, accused Uba Sani, Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s political adviser, of offering N3 million bribe to some executive members of the party in the ward to suspend Mr. Sani.

He called on the anti-graft agency, EFCC, to investigate the bribery allegation and said he and other executive members loyal to him were opposed to any planned suspension of the senator.

Mr. El-Rufai’s political adviser declined comment when asked about the bribery allegation.

Mr. Abdulhamid denied receiving any bribe; instead accusing the ward chairman of receiving gratification from the senator.

The ‘suspension’ of Mr. Sani is a reflection of the internal wrangling of the APC in Kaduna State that has seen the senator and Governor El-Rufai belong to different camps and vehemently oppose each other.