The crisis rocking the Katsina State Chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, has taken another dimension with the sacking of the Deputy Governorship candidate, Dr. Muttaqha Rabe, State party chairman, Sani Liti and other top executives.
NNPP Director of Media and Publicity, Nasiru Kankia who made this known in a statement said, they were sacked for anti-party activities, including the endorsement of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship candidate, Dr. Dikko Radda.
According to Kankia, a section of the state leadership of the party convened an unauthorised meeting on Thursday, March 9 and took a decision that almost rocked the party.
He added that, following the development, an emergency State Executive Committee meeting comprising 19 out of 29 members was conveyed to discuss the immediate and remote causes of the illegal meeting.
Kankia revealed that, facts emerged that the illegal meeting was unconstitutionally convened without the consent of the State Executive Committee.
“It was also discovered that even when invitations were sent for the illegal meeting to state and local government executive members and ward chairmen, they were informed that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss and disburse funds for the settlement of polling unit agents and ward coordinators”, he said.
He added that, at the illegal meeting, the APC Governorship candidate was ushered in and the NNPP State Chairman, Deputy Governorship candidate and other top executives introduced other members present as decampees to the APC, making some party loyalists to cause chaos at the venue.
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According to him, the APC candidate, Dr. Radda, then immediately stated that what he discussed with the NNPP members was on alliance not defection.
The NNPP spokesperson recalled that the party had on March 5, warned its members, officials, and candidates against negotiating or forming an alliance with any political party.
“Anyone who endorses a candidate of another political party will be sanctioned in line with the NNPP Constitution, ranging from suspension to expulsion. Our emergency meeting considered and decided to expel the officials and members involved in the illegal meeting, subject to approval of the National Executive Committee of the party”, Kankia added.
He therefore said that, the NNPP arising from the emergency meeting have expelled the Deputy Governorship candidate, Sani Liti; State Chairman, Umar Jibril; State Secretary, Mustapha Basheer; Youth Leader, Dauda Kurfi; Katsina Zonal Chairman, Abdulhadi Mai-Dawa; Funtua Zonal Chairman, Dr Sale Mashi; Daura Zonal Chairman, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, as well as Senator Audu Yandoma.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
