Take your sack in good faith, Ganduje tells embattled Kano APC exco

The governor of Kano State, Abbdullahi Ganduje, has told the factional executives of the All Progressive Congress (APC) loyal to him to accept the recent court judgment sacking them in good faith.

He said he would no longer be distracted by party crisis but wiould rather focus more on developmental projects.

Mr Ganduje stated this at a meeting with members of his faction in Africa House, Government House, Kano on Sunday.

An Abuja High Court had on 30 November sacked the leadership of the APC faction in the state loyal to the governor.

The court declared the executives of a faction loyal to a former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shekarau, as duly elected leaders of the party in the state.

Mr Shekarau is the senator representing Kano Central.

The court reaffirmed the judgment last Friday.

Mr Ganduje asked the sacked exco members to take the judgment in good faith and should not resort to violence.

He said the meeting was convened to intimate the party offficials of his decision.

He did not, however, say whether they would appeal the judgment or not.

He said the judgment came even though they followed all the procedures during both wards and local government congresses of the party and in accordance with the normal party directives.

“Vulgar exchange of words will not be the solution to our crisis, let treat each other with respect, the crisis will soon be over.

“It is very important for all to know that our political dexterity and political experience will not allow small party crisis to divert our attention in further developing our dear state.

“What is happening is just part of the culture of democracy.

“The people of Gaya, Karaye and Bichi who are in this meeting can testify to this effort of bringing developmental projects closer to the locals and that is what I will be doing,” the governor said

Earlier in his remarks, the embattled factional chairman, Abbdullahi Abbas, said all the party leaders in the 44 local government areas of the state have passed a vote of confidence on Mr Ganduje.

“This is the message of party excos that their loyalty to the governor is intact. Whatever will happen they said they are with you (Governor Ganduje),” Mr Abbas said.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that in the aftermath of the court judgment, some members of the APC loyal to Mr Ganduje were secretly registering their loyalty to the Shekarau faction.

This newspaper reported how the court dismissed a motion by the faction challenging its earlier judgement and fined it N1 million for filing what it called a frivolous and time-wasting motion.

The court, presided over by Hamza Muazu, affirmed the earlier judgement it delivered on November 30.

Friday’s judgement was delivered after the Ganduje faction filed a motion asking the court to stay proceeding and set aside its decision which nullified Abdullahi Abbas-led executives.

However, the court ruled that the faction loyal to Mr Shekarau had conducted ward and local government congresses in the state.

The court further held that the local government congress conducted by the faction remained valid and that it had the authority to elect the state executives.

Two factions of the party in the state had conducted parallel congresses on October 18 but the party headquarters endorsed the one conducted by the loyalists of Mr Ganduje.

The Shekarau faction had elected Haruna Danzago as chairman while Mr Ganduje’s camp elected Mr Abbas.

Mr Shekarau is the leader of the group called G7.

Members of the group include Barau Jibrin, who is the senator for Kano North, and four members of the House of Representatives from the state, namely Nasiru Abdua, Tijjani Jobe, Sha’aban Sharada and Haruna Dederi.