By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress APC in Taraba State has described the purported impeachment of the state chairman of the party Mr. Ibrahim Tukur El-sudi as a mere charade from persons desperate to create confusion in the party and frustrate the gubernatorial primaries rerun.
Mr Aaron Artimas, publicity secretary of the party, who said this at a Press conference in Jalingo on Sunday alleged that some members of the executive of the party were invited to the private residence of one of the major stakeholders of the party where they were given half a million Naira each for the “show of shame”.
“Yesterday, 4th February 2023, we received reports that a few members of the executive committee were invited to the residence of one of the major stakeholders of the party. They were entreated to suspend the state APC chairman, Barr Ibrahim Tukur El-sudi, in exchange for monetary compensations. The action was perfected late evening, and they were rewarded with the sum of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) each for their efforts.
“It is quite obvious that the above narration is not unconnected with the gubernatorial re-run, which the national working committee of our party has scheduled for the 10th of February 2023. However, as you can see, we are gathered here to dismiss the suspension of the chairman as a non-event and a futile imagination. It demonstrates quite clearly that the renegades are in complete ignorance of the workings of our party or its constitutional provisions.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there are thirty-six (36) members of the executive committee of the party, 18 members of the state working committee as prescribed in articles 12.9 and 12.11, respectively. Others include the speaker, deputy speaker, principal officers of the house of assembly, as well as other statutory members of the national convention from the state. But, just about 30 people comprising a few members of the state working and non-working committee and a few local government party Chairmen deluded themselves the task of suspending the chairman.
“Besides, the party’s Constitution provides that, to remove any officer, 2/3 of the members must be present after a notice for 21 days from a Disciplinary Committee (article 21.5.vi). And, this is subject to such officer’s fair hearing. In this case, no prior allegation of indiscipline and impropriety has been tabled before the chairman before the purported decision to suspend him from office.
“As loyal party members, we are in total agreement with all the decisions of our great party, whether by policies or imposed by court decisions. While we have our reservations on the decision by the Supreme Court to order for a repeat of the Primaries, we are compelled by institutional obligations to abide by the decision. Our duty as a party is to ensure a level playing ground for everyone without fear or favour. This notwithstanding, there has been a dangerous and sinister dimension introduced into our supposed family dispute. It is increasingly becoming the voice of Isaac and the hands of Esau, as there is a clear collaboration between our disgruntled members to frustrate the Primaries and deny the party the right to present its candidates.
“It is very important to stress at this point that our Chairman Barr Ibrahim Tukur El-sudi has been very fair and tolerant, in handling his duties as it relates to series of party squabbles and anti-party matters brought to him. A case in point is the demand for expulsion brought against Chief David Kente by his native Kente Ward executive for anti-party activities. This was ignored by the Chairman despite glaring evidence that Chief David Kente has never won his ward or unit since 2015 on the pretence of grievances against the party.
“We hereby appeal to all our members not only to dismiss yesterday’s purported suspension as a non-event but also to close ranks for the greater task ahead.
