APC crisis: El-Rufai fires back, describes query as ‘sham’

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has described as a “sham” the query which a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state issued to him.

Accusing the governor of “anti-people/anti-party activities and inhuman policies”, Shuiabu Wada, chairman of the faction, gave el-Rufai 48 hours to respond to the query.

The faction had also suspended Uba Sani, the governor’s political adviser; Suleiman Kwari, the state commissioner for finance; and Yahaya Pate, the acting state secretary of the party, for actions that are “inimical to the interest of the chapter”.

Reacting, el-Rufai said the query is part of “attention-seeking gambits of desperate politicians who have steadily been demystified”.

In a statement issued by Samuel Aruwan, his spokesman, the governor said he is not deterred by the development and that his government “appreciates the support it has received from the party in executing policies that stand up for the right of ordinary people to equal opportunity.”

“The APC government of Kaduna state has boldly lived up to its manifesto commitments and principles to the people,” the statement read.

“In this work, it continues to enjoy the firm support of the APC state executive which is united, and committed to the hard work of bringing sustainable change.

“Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai is proud of his record in achieving unprecedented levels of capital spending in the state, direct job creation, doubling school enrolment and doubling internally-generated revenue.”

He also took a swipe at Suleiman Hunkuyi, senator representing Kaduna north, over the senator’s claim that he will unsit him as in 2019.

According to him, “the desperate senator is seeking a lifeline, in the vain belief that ratcheting up rascally actions will bring him attention and relief from the mooted national reconciliation efforts.

“Senator Hunkuyi has failed to understand that you cannot create party executives at your whim. It is the party’s prerogative to consider appropriate responses to this breach of discipline.”

The APC in Kaduna has three factions.