Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State is not new to controversies, as way back as when he was FCT Minister. Right now, he is in the middle of another, not because of the memo he wrote to President Buhari on the observations he made on handling affairs of the Nation, but with members of the party (APC) in the state.
Citypeople reliable gathered that for several months now the party secretariat has been redundant, while the party in the state has split into two camps. As a result of this observers say the party is facing an herculean task, which is capable of rubbing the party its chances of winning in the coming elections. Recent happenings in the party is now a cause of concern amongst its supporters. Immediately after the swearing in of Governor El-Rufai the party has witnessed series of disagreements, as part of the party believes they are not being carried along and that the Government policies is anti-people, the people who craved for this anticipated change.
The “True APC”, led by Torn Maiyashi a former commissioner in the state, and Kabir Umar a former Chairman of the ANPP in the state, allege that the Governor is running a one-man show, and has hijacked the party structures in the state. According to them a lot need’s to be done by calling the Governor to order. City People reliably gathered that one of the grievances of the “True APC” is that the Governor single handedly appoints his cronies into Government “The Governor has arrogated so much power to himself such that party members, and founding members of the party in the state, have been sidelined in the scheme of things in the state. They also accused the governor of the state of high handedness which has now created an impression that an APC administration in the state has turned its back against the people. “We are pained to join in the outcry over the policies of Governor Nasir El-rufai”. The “True APC” also claims they are worried over unpaid salaries, termination of appointments as well as other terror tactics that has placed the people under stress. “We have witnessed arresting and relocation of all under privileges of the streets, though a wonderful idea, there was no arrangement for the fallout or aftermath.
Responding to these allegations by the “True APC” the other faction of the party led by its Acting publicity secretary, Salisu Wusono, said El-Rufai’s policies are in line with the party’s manifestos and urged all member’s to be loyal. He accused the “True APC” of working in collaboration with some PDP member’s to distract the good work of the governor” any party member questioning the policies and leadership of Governor El-rufai is either ignorant or doing so deliberately”.
Penultimate week, when the memo, El-rufai wrote to president Buhari on the state of affairs of the Nation was leaked, an APC stalwart and founding father of the party in the state, Tijjani Ramallam, also wrote a memo to Governor EL-rufai, saying some of them have been worried about the way the state is being handled since El-Rufai became Governor. Ramallan said, “Charity begins at home and most of the concerns raised in the memo are actually the very same that most stakeholder’s in Kaduna observed.
He said as the mid-term Administration of the Governor approaches, the party (APC) is docile in its statutory duties as a political party. No Executive committee and stakeholder’s meeting from the ward to state levels “most stakeholders and members are feeling used and dumped due to lack of consultations in decision making processes as it affects the party. He said the party at the state level needs to be properly constituted and vacancies filled urgently. He also said there was an urgent need to facilitate and put in place a reconciliatory process to bring back all aggrieved members under one structure as we prepare for the coming local government election.
TIjani Ramallan, who was once PDP Chairman in the state and M.D Nigerian National Shipper’s Council, lamented that Jimmy Lawal the former managing director of the Alpha Merchant Bank is the most powerful man in Kaduna Government house. “The fear of Jimi Lawal is the beginning of wisdom in Kaduna APC administration, as he is alleged to be the most powerful official closest to the governor and most feared. Jimi Lawal he said handles all aspects of governance, from procurement negotiations to project executions, without following the provisions of the Procurement Act and due process. Ramallan who is also the chairman of the APC caucus in the state, observed that Uba Sani who serves an Special Adviser on Political Affairs and Inter-Governmental Affairs, as a personal friend to the Governor, is better off serving as a resource person handling MDA’s in the interest of the Governor’s APC administration.
