Several state chapters had been divided into factions due to the controversial congresses conducted late last year. However, the national leadership of the party is now set to inaugurate chairmen who are loyal to the governors except in Kano State.
The PUNCH learnt that the chairmen from at least 30 states had already arrived in Abuja ahead of their inauguration.
In Zamfara State where three factions are currently operating, The PUNCH learnt that the All Progressives Congress would inaugurate the faction loyal to Governor Bello Matawalle.
While the faction led by Senator Kabiru Marafa kicked against the development, former Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari’s faction did not respond to calls.
The Zamfara State APC Publicity Secretary of the governor’s faction, Yusuf Idris, told The PUNCH that they were the only faction invited by the national headquarters of the party for the inauguration.
We are already in Abuja for inauguration – Matawalle faction
Idris said, “We are already in Abuja for the inauguration as invited by the national headquarters of our great party, the APC”.
“I have been telling people that we have no faction in Zamfara state as both former Governor Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa have been saying.
“Their factions are not recognised by the national headquarters because they were not registered members of the party. They refused to revalidate their membership cards as directed by the national headquarters, as such, they have no business in the APC.”
In his reaction, the Publicity Secretary of Senator Marafa’s faction, Bello Bakyasuwa said, the Matawalle APC faction was only wasting its time.
Bakyasuwa said the Marafa’s faction did not go to Abuja for the inauguration because the case they filed against the national headquarters of the party was still in court.
“We didn’t go to Abuja because of our pending court’s case which will be heard on February 17. But I am telling you, that any faction of our party that goes to Abuja for the inauguration is violating the court’s order because we have been directed by the court to maintain the status-quo”.
Efforts to speak with executive members of the Yari faction proved abortive as both the factional chairman, Lawal Liman and the Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Magaji, did not pick their calls after several attempts.
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