Uneasy Calm Over ‘Suspension’ Of Niger APC Chairman

A few days to the governorship election in Niger state, fresh controversies are brewing over the purported suspension of the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon  Haliru Jikantoro.

A letter obtained by LEADERSHIP and signed by the  Kwashini ward, chairman and secretary of Agwara local government area of the State, Ahmad Abdullahi Yagode and Nurudeen Abdullahi respectively, announced the suspension of the chairman for alleged anti-party activities.

The notice of Haliru’s suspension was contained in the letter dated March 2, 2023 and alleged that the chairman was working for the success of the PDP using the APC resources during the last presidential and national assembly elections in Agwara where he comes from.

They said the suspension of the Niger State APC chairman became necessary alleging further  that “It is on record that Hon. Jikantoro has been indulging in anti-party activities by canvassing votes for the Peoples Democratic Party for the presidential and national assembly elections.

“Little wonder that when the general election was approaching, Hon. Jikantoro never consulted nor called any stakeholders meeting of the ward executive or the local government executive to know the level of preparedness for the forthcoming elections. On the contrary, he used the funds to finance campaigns of the PDP and mobilize votes for the PDP at Agwara local government,” the letter stated.

The letter further added that “the two officials said during the 25th February, 2023 elections at Agwara local government area Niger State, at Hon. Haliru’s polling unit in Central Primary School, Kashini Ward, he canvassed votes for the PDP on the ballot papers which accounted for the reason why the APC did not win the said polling unit.

“We, the executive of the Kashini Ward of the All Progressives Congress under Agwara local government area of Niger State hereby suspend Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro from Kashini.

“This suspension became expedient as a result of the flagrant violation and disregard of the All Progressive Congress constitution by Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, the state party chairman of the APC, coupled with some acts committed by Hon. Haliru calculated to undermine the success of our party during the just concluded 2023 presidential and national assembly election conducted on the 25th February 2023”.