TheCable

Abdulmajid Kwamanda, a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari in Kano, has created a new faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Kwamanda is said to have been supporting the president since 2003, when Buhari contested for the presidency under the defunct All People’s Party (APP).

He was also very active in campaigning for Buhari’s second term in office in the buildup to the 2019 general election.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Kwamanda said a meeting on the decision to create the faction in the state — referred to as ‘APC Akida’ — commenced on May 31.

He said the decision is to ensure that Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, does not impose candidates on the people of the state ahead of the 2023 election.

“The actions of the governor, as well the party caretaker chairman, for vehemently blocking some party loyalists who wish to contest the state gubernatorial seat has clearly negated the principles of democratic norms and internal politicking,” he said.

“We have already designed our movement and how we are going to ensure that our new APC Akida makes it to the government house in 2023.

“We are creating APC Akida and we have the backing and support of the Kano people 100 percent. Even President Muhammadu Buhari cannot stop us from splitting the party for now.”

He said the new faction will resist any attempt by Ganduje and Abdullahi Abbas, the state APC caretaker chairman, to impose candidates on the people of the state in 2023.

Speaking on whether the president would be displeased about the split, Danbilki said “Buhari does not control my political ideologies and he knows that whatever I’m doing is the right thing”.

He said Barau Jibrin, the APC Akida candidate, will contest the state gubernatorial seat, and expressed optimism that the faction will emerge victorious.

Kwamanda, who was said to have been suspended from the Kano municipal ward of Kofar Wambai for alleged anti-party activities, denied knowledge of the suspension.

“I think those who said they suspended me are doing a hatchet job, but they have since failed because right now, as you can see, we have split the party with the emergence of our Akida faction. We will see who is who,” he said.