Malam Suleiman Ahmed, the Special Assistant to Sen. Shehu Sani (APC- Kaduna), on Politics and Ideology, says nothing will deter his principal from criticising the “anti-people” policies of the state government.
Ahmed stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) in Kaduna on Tuesday while reacting to the alleged suspension of the senator by the Tudun Wada North, Ward 6 of APC.
The party at the ward level had in a letter dated Dec. 7 and signed by the party’s Ward Secretary, Malam Ahmed Abdullahi; the Public Relations Officer, Malam Auwal Anguwa; and an Ex-Officio member, Malam Aminu Alilan, suspended Sani for 11 months.
The letter said that Sani was suspended for consistently criticising the policies of Gov. Nasir el-Rufai, an act which the APC ward executives described as “anti-party”.
The aide said that the suspension would only strengthen his principal’s resolve to criticise any policy of the el-Rufai administration that he considered “anti-people”.
“This letter is not relevant; it has no value to us; this letter will energise him the more; it will strengthen his resolve to criticise the government of the state if it goes wrong.
“The senator will continuously criticise any (government) policy that is anti-people up to the end of (his tenure in) the Senate and beyond.
“So if you feel that the senator should not criticise the government of the day because he is part of the party that brought the current government to power, then when he comes out to re-contest in 2019, do not vote for him.
“He will criticise the government, whether or not he comes back as a senator in 2019.
This is because Sani has been consistent in his criticism of anti-democratic processes and elements; he did not start his criticism (in the current) democratic (dispensation).
“He has been doing criticism anti-people policies right from the military era. That’s what has taken caused his imprisonment on several occasions.”
The aide said that the senator would consider seeking legal redress if served with a genuine suspension letter in line with standard procedure.
He explained that the ward executives had invited the senator to the ward office to defend himself against some allegations levelled against him.
According to him, barely 24 hours after receiving the invitation, the ward office of the party sent a suspension letter to him.
He said, “This is a clear violation of standard procedure in line with the party’s constitution, which renders the letter invalid.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the party in Makarfi Local Government Area, Malam Tukur Abba, has condemned the alleged suspension of Sani.
Speaking at a news conference in Kaduna, Abba said that due process was not followed in the purported suspension of the senator.
“We are at the executive committee level of the party. Who is the complainant? What is the nature of the complaint? Who is the alleged offender?
“Is the action in compliance with the provision of the party’s constitution? Is the state executive committee properly constituted to carry out the purported action?
“Is this action not the handiwork of few members of the State Working Committee members purporting to act as a superior body to the State Executive Committee?
“I am sure majority of the above questions will be answered in the negative. I therefore, disassociate myself from whatever decision taken.”