All Progressives Congress, Northeast zonal chairman comrade Mustapha Salihu, has been suspended on alleged irregularity that characterised just concluded party primaries.
Zonal secretary, Abubakar Ajiya, announced the suspension in a letter dated 11/10/2018, with a vote of no confidence on him.
Ajiya further explained that the suspension was in line with APC constitution as enshrined in article 21(D).
The secretary further revealed that the charges against Salihu includes his failure to call meetings as and when due contrary to Article 25(D): 1, and for allegedly causing disunity among members in the zone.
Ajiya announced that a 3-man committee had been inaugurated to look into allegations leveled against the zonal chairman.
However, in a swift reaction on telephone, the North-East APC zonal chairman, dismissed purported suspension, saying, “they lack constitutional authority to suspend me.
“A member of the National Working Committee (NWC), can only be suspended by the NWC and not the zonal organ”, he posited.
Salihu, who described his suspension as a joke, alleged that the signature of the Women Leader, Amina Manga, on the purported suspension letter was forged.
On allegation that he substituted names of some aspirants that won the just concluded primaries in the zone, Salihu said, “all decisions concerning party candidates were collectively taken by the NWC in Abuja”.
Ahmed Lawan, Organising Secretary in Adamawa, described the suspension as a military coup de’tat, describing it as a “huge joke”, insisting that “by article 12, only NWC has the jurisdiction to sanction an NWC member”.
He explained that only 1/3 of the Zonal Executive Committee, comprising about 150 members could suspend any official in the zone in line with Article 12:6 of the party.
