Former member representing Borno Central at the National Assembly , Barr. Hon. Mohammed Umara Kumalia has described his purported suspension from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a surprise, stressing that it came five months after he had resigned from the party.
Kumalia who contested the 2019 governorship election primaries with the incumbent Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, added that he resigned from the APC on March 21, 2022.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the APC in Borno State last Monday, through a letter written to Kumalia by the ward secretary of Limanti, Kumalia’s ward in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), suspend him from the party over alleged anti-party activities and institution of cases at various courts after the gubernatorial primaries where Kumalia was defeated.
But reacting to the suspension through a press statement, Kumalia said,” My attention was drawn to a letter circulating on social media platforms purported to be written and signed by one Mohammed Kagu as Secretary of Limanti Ward, suspending my membership of the party with effect from yesterday 8th August, 2022.
“Although I cannot verify the authenticity of the letter as the signatory of the letter is not known to me, I feel it is important for the records to state the true state of affairs.
“As you are aware, I resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the 21st March 2022 and have conveyed it to you through a letter hereby attached. I had equally copied the letter to the Maiduguri Metropolitan APC Chairman as well as the State Party Chairman.
“It is therefore surprising to say the least that after almost 5 months, a letter suspending me from the party is being circulated on social media. I wish to also make the following observations:
party as contained on the letter head of the letter written to me is not correct. The name of party which I resigned from on 21 March 2022 is All Progressives Congress and not All Progressive Congress.
“This raises the question whether this letter is really authentic and if it is, then it is obviously a hatchet job carried out to achieve a predetermined evil plot against me. Whatever the intentions are, it has obviously fallen flat on its face.
“The allegations against me of taking the party to court wherein the suit numbers were copiously stated took place in 2019, slightly over three years ago. As you are aware, it was a class action filed by a group of aggrieved governorship aspirants who felt cheated during the 2019 primary elections.
“ While it is surprising to single me out for your purported suspension, it is even more surprising that you only realised three years down the line that what happened in 2019 was an offence and the purported punishment is coming three years down the line.
“This betrays some concealed motive beyond what you would like the members of the public to know. However, the members of the public are more discerning than you would like to credit them with.
“As the buildup to the 2023 general elections are getting nearer by the day, what is expected of serious minded political leaders is to go out and seek the return of party members that had earlier left the party, in order to build back and consolidate the membership base of the party.
“This is more so in the case of Borno state APC which I believe is today bedeviled with a crisis of confidence at the levels of both the party and the government. Rather you have chosen the path of pursuing a wild goose chase of suspending a person that is no longer a member of your party.
“Make no mistake, I have left APC for good and have no intention of returning to its fold. I make this point only to
show the folly in the brand of politics that is at play in Borno APC.
“Finally, please inform all your leaders that I have ceased to be a member of the All Progressives Congress since March, 2022 and therefore should be allowed to have my peace,” he said.
It could be recalled that Kumalia, was former minority leader in the House of Representatives between 1999 to 2007, and was a member of 2019 President Muhammadu Buhari’s Campaign Team in the North East.
